That Food Guy
Thursday, September 07, 2017
Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen - Alcoa, Tennessee
250 Hamilton Crossing Dr, Alcoa, TN 37701
My birthday was coming soon and I was
told that I could pick the place for breakfast. I gave it a lot of thought
trying to select someplace new perhaps or maybe unique but not one that anyone
might object to. I wandered over my mental map of the area, thinking about any
recent drives and what I might have seen. Cheddar’s came to mind! After a quick
check of their web page I learned they opened late morning for lunch, no
breakfast service. I asked our go-for-grub pals if a lunch was okay and I
received positive replies. Then lunch, instead of breakfast, it would be.
The wife and I arrived a few minutes late. I noticed a change had taken place since my first Cheddar’s encounter. Cheddar’s Casual Café was now Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen. When Aubrey Good and Doug Rogers founded Cheddar’s in Arlington, Texas back in 1979 their stated credo was ”… when a meal is prepared and cooked fresh just for you, it not only tastes better, it makes you feel good.” Perhaps the name change is paying homage to their beginnings. There are a few stores in the Great Plains and some in the Southwest but by far the majority of the 164 Cheddar’s locations are in the Eastern half of the United States. In 2012, Zagat ranked Cheddar's the nation's No.1 full-service restaurant chain as well as Top Overall American Cuisine. Consumer Reports and others have given high ratings and customer satisfaction reports. We were about to see if the reports were true.
Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen
250 Hamilton Crossing Dr, Alcoa, TN 37701
(865)
983-5582 https://cheddars.com/
10:30Am
– 10:30PM (11:30PM week ends)
This would not be my first visit to a Cheddar’s
restaurant. In January of 2014 my wife’s dear Aunt Effie and Uncle Gilbert
treated us to lunch at their new discovery, Cheddar’s Casual Café in Pinellas
Park, Florida. It was a very positive experience and I looked forward to this
next encounter. You can see that blog here.
The wife and I arrived a few minutes late. I noticed a change had taken place since my first Cheddar’s encounter. Cheddar’s Casual Café was now Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen. When Aubrey Good and Doug Rogers founded Cheddar’s in Arlington, Texas back in 1979 their stated credo was ”… when a meal is prepared and cooked fresh just for you, it not only tastes better, it makes you feel good.” Perhaps the name change is paying homage to their beginnings. There are a few stores in the Great Plains and some in the Southwest but by far the majority of the 164 Cheddar’s locations are in the Eastern half of the United States. In 2012, Zagat ranked Cheddar's the nation's No.1 full-service restaurant chain as well as Top Overall American Cuisine. Consumer Reports and others have given high ratings and customer satisfaction reports. We were about to see if the reports were true.
Abbie and Mariano, our go-for-grub pals, had secured a
spacious booth next to a shaded window. It looked to be a cozy comfortable spot
for lunch. The waitress was already there taking beverage orders. I’m sorry I
didn’t get here name as I would have liked to thank her by name for her good
nature and thoughtful service. She wished me a happy birthday and I then knew I
had been setup by the go-for-grub pals.
I just hoped that Cheddar’s didn’t do fool-crazy things designed to
embarrass their patrons.
The wife Janis is a light eater
and her selection was the CLASSIC
LUNCH COMBO ($6.79 Select
two of the following: HALF CHEDDAR’S CLUB SANDWICH - HALF MONTE CRISTO -
BOWL OF SOUP - HOUSE SALAD - CAESAR SALAD - LOADED BAKED POTATO - BAKED SWEET
POTATO) Her particular choices were the half Club Sandwich and the Caesar
Salad. The salad was a nice bowl of crisp greens and some croutons, dressing
not too heavy, not to light. It was accompanied with a butter glazed croissant.
Her preference would have been without the butter but the croissant as well as
the salad was very good and fully enjoyed.
Our go-for-grub pals, Abbie
and Mariano, opted to share a big platter of HOUSE SMOKED BABY BACK RIBS (Add a
House or Caesar salad, $3.29 HALF RACK $10.99
FULL RACK $15.99 Homemade rub, slow smoked in-house, and grilled with a honey
BBQ sauce. Served with French fries and coleslaw.) Coleslaw is not their
favorite and at their request the server provided a house salad instead. The
serving of ribs and French fries was, to say the least, more than ample for two
hearty appetites (luckily for Mariano, Abbie is also a light eater). It was a
pretty serving thick and clingy barbecue sauce adding a delicious shine to the
ribs. The meat was very tender easily separating form the bone. Abbie and
Mariano had eagerly anticipated their visit to Cheddar’s for the ribs and I do believe
they enjoyed them very much.
I like light meat chicken and love shrimp. The combination dinner plate of chicken tenders and shrimp caught my eye; CHICKEN TENDERS & SHRIMP ($11.19 Served with two sides. Add a House or Caesar salad, $3.29 Grilled or hand-battered fried shrimp with our homemade chicken tenders. See a list of sides at end of blog.) For sides I ordered mashed potatoes and gravy and coleslaw. For a big appetite the plate piled high with chicken, shrimp, mashed potatoes and coleslaw was a welcome sight. Included were cocktail sauce and honey mustard dipping sauce.
The
full menu
is available online in pdf format.
Her
sandwich arrived a short time later. A diagonally sliced sandwich of two slices
of toasted bread well filled with ham, turkey, cheese, bacon and tomato, it was
very similar to her order during our first Cheddar’s encounter. The only
significant difference was it was cut as a half sandwich instead of the more
traditional quarters. As with the salad, it was thoroughly enjoyed.
Our go-for-grub pals, Abbie
and Mariano, opted to share a big platter of HOUSE SMOKED BABY BACK RIBS (Add a
House or Caesar salad, $3.29 HALF RACK $10.99
FULL RACK $15.99 Homemade rub, slow smoked in-house, and grilled with a honey
BBQ sauce. Served with French fries and coleslaw.) Coleslaw is not their
favorite and at their request the server provided a house salad instead. The
serving of ribs and French fries was, to say the least, more than ample for two
hearty appetites (luckily for Mariano, Abbie is also a light eater). It was a
pretty serving thick and clingy barbecue sauce adding a delicious shine to the
ribs. The meat was very tender easily separating form the bone. Abbie and
Mariano had eagerly anticipated their visit to Cheddar’s for the ribs and I do believe
they enjoyed them very much.
I like light meat chicken and love shrimp. The combination dinner plate of chicken tenders and shrimp caught my eye; CHICKEN TENDERS & SHRIMP ($11.19 Served with two sides. Add a House or Caesar salad, $3.29 Grilled or hand-battered fried shrimp with our homemade chicken tenders. See a list of sides at end of blog.) For sides I ordered mashed potatoes and gravy and coleslaw. For a big appetite the plate piled high with chicken, shrimp, mashed potatoes and coleslaw was a welcome sight. Included were cocktail sauce and honey mustard dipping sauce.
The
coleslaw was dressed with a slightly seasoned sauce that added to the flavor
but itself did not clamor for attention. Nice crisp cabbage; I would call it a
good slaw. The mashed potatoes were of the industrial grade variety but
acceptably smooth. The gravy was very tasty and would be most welcome on a
chicken fried steak.
There were
four, possibly five (sorry, I didn’t count them) large butterflied, battered
and deep fried shrimp. The coating was golden brown and slightly crispy and
pleasingly not oily. They were large shrimp, the meat was cooked just right and
moist and tender. (As an aside: This serving of shrimp in a basket with some
French fries would have more than made a beach-front fish shack offering of a
shrimp basket.) They were very tasty fried shrimp.
There were
four very large “chicken tenders.” I suspect they are more than tenders, more
like a chicken breast sliced in two pieces. Breaded and deep fried to a golden
brown, well drained and not oily, the meat was tender and very moist; lots of
good chicken flavor. I tried a bit of the honey mustard sauce; a nice blend,
not to sweet, not to tart but good mustard flavor. I am on again – off again
with honey mustard and today wasn’t the day. I tried a bit of cocktail sauce;
good but a bit too much tang from the horseradish to go with the mild taste of
the chicken. I thought about asking for some plane old ketchup but decided to
just eat the tenders down to the finger lickin’ end as they were. They were
that good all by themselves. As you can probably guess, I really enjoyed that
meal.
In the few
years that we have been here, for various reasons two other local restaurants,
best described I guess as up-scale beer and burger places with lots of big
television screens, had become our fall back places to go. The food was good,
they were close; known entities were we felt comfortable. I feel that Cheddar’s
will replace the other restaurants as the spur-of-the-moment place to go. It is
still quite close to the house, the prices are competitive and the menu offers
more of a variety than the others. The interiors are brighter, more focused on the food and dining and
offering a more relaxed and casual (as in casual café perhaps) dining
experience. On this visit Cheddar’s has validated the aforementioned awards and
positive citations.
Just before we left, the hostess came
by the table to offer her birthday congratulations. She brought a small bag
with two still hot, freshly baked chocolate chip cookies (sort of a mini
version of their giant cookie Sundae). I was grateful for the remembrance especially since it was
low key, quiet and private.
FYI: MADE-FROM-SCRATCH
SIDES – Substitute any side for a House or
Caesar salad for an additional .99 Steamed Fresh Broccoli, Buttered Off-The-Cob Corn, Freshly
Made Coleslaw, French Fries, Idaho Mashed Potatoes, Homemade Black Beans, Mac
and Cheese, Broccoli Cheese Casserole, Baked Sweet Potato, Loaded Baked
Potato, Seasoned Rice, Southern Green Beans.
Add a side to any order, 2.49
- Honey Butter Croissants, 3 for
2.99
Labels: baby back ribs, Caesar salad, casual café, Cheddar's, chicken tenders, club sandwich, cocktail sauce, coleslaw, French fries, fried shrimp, gravy, honey mustard, house salad, mashed potatoes, scratch café
¶ 12:30 PM 0 Comments
Saturday, August 20, 2016
Cracker Barrel - Alcoa, Tennessee
That brings us to today’s blog, Alcoa Tennessee's Cracker
Barrel. Since we moved here we have met Abbie and Mariano who are also Alaskan ex-pats. We have become good friends and grub mates as we see what is good
to eat in Eastern Tennessee. We agreed to meet at the local Maryville Cracker
Barrel for breakfast. There is an old expression, “if you have seen one you
have seen them all.” That is a close truism for Cracker Barrel stores. They are
not exact copies of what but very, very close in layout, merchandise offered,
the menu and usually the quality of the food. When we were traveling Cracker
Barrel offered known quality, ample portions, and reasonable price.
Abbie ordered the Momma’s Pancake Breakfast® ($8.19 Three freshly made Buttermilk
Pancakes with your choice of any fruit topping or a warmed bottle of 100% Pure
Natural Syrup plus two eggs cooked to order and your choice of Smoked Sausage
Patties, Thick-Sliced Bacon, Turkey Sausage or Turkey Bacon.) On a plate by
themselves there were three large golden brown pancakes with a large dollop of
whipped butter. On a companion plate was the bacon, fried crisp, and eggs done to order.
It was a typical Cracker Barrel presentation, the food looked good and appetizing.
On request Abbie got more maple syrup. Momma’s pancake breakfast is a big meal
and a bit more than Abbie normally eats. She did enjoy her mail but there was a
good portion that went to Mariano and some in a doggy bag.
Mariano
ordered the French Toast ($7.19 Four
slices of our own Sourdough Bread (regular or whole wheat) dipped in egg then
grilled to perfection. Served with any fruit topping or 100% Pure Natural Syrup.)
The serving was on an oval platter and there were six thick slices of sourdough bread,
egg dipped, and they were fried to a nice appetizing golden brown with a dollop
of whipped butter on top. More syrup came as requested. Mario said it was very
good, very tasty but he did have one observation. At $7.19 for four slices of
bread the coffee really should come with it. The French toast at good
appearance, good taste, but may have been a bit overpriced after adding the coffee.
Janis
ordered the Wild Maine Blueberry
Pancakes ($7.39 Three Buttermilk Pancakes loaded with wild
Maine blueberries. Served with Wild Maine Blueberry Syrup.) Served on an
oval platter were three golden brown pancakes topped with an amazing abundance
of blueberries. All of that was topped with a generous helping of whipped
cream. There was more than enough blueberry preserves that no additional syrup
with needed. Janis enjoyed her meal, and set it was very good, very tasty. It
is a serving much larger than she normally eats but she managed to finish most of her
meal. The blueberry pancakes were presented well, were good tasting, and
adequate portion with an abundance of blueberries.
I ordered
a more conventional breakfast, at least for me, I chose the Sunrise
Sampler® ($8.19 Two eggs cooked to order with Grits, Sawmill
Gravy, homemade Buttermilk Biscuits, real butter and the best Preserves, Jam n’
Apple Butter (on request) we could find. Plus Fried Apples and Hashbrown
Casserole and a Sampling of Smoked Sausage, Country Ham and Thick-Sliced Bacon.)
This is a good combination as it includes eggs and breakfast meat along with
hashbrowns, biscuits and gravy and fried apples. I asked for my eggs over
medium and ask for the sausage as my choice of breakfast meat. The eggs were
cooked order just like I asked for. The sausage is fried nicely with good
color, was tender and had a good taste. The gravy was nice and hot, nice and
thick and had that good peppery country gravy flavor. The fried apples were
very good and always make a great end to breakfast meal. They’re kind of like
eating an apple pie without the crust.
That leaves the biscuits and the hashbrown casserole. The biscuits it had
been a loft. They were dense, heavy and one would guess that they had not used
enough baking powder. They were also cold and makes me wonder if perhaps they
weren’t left over from the day before. Without the gravy they would have been
way to dry to eat. One of my favorite parts of the Cracker Barrel breakfast is
the hashbrown casserole. This serving did not live up to what I have come to
expect from Cracker Barrel. It was quite dry and the edges crispy and serving
was way too small-sort of like the kitchen scooped the last remaining drag out
of a long-standing pan to fill my order. I did enjoy the eggs and apples
as well as the gravy. The poorly prepared biscuits and potato casserole severely
detracted from my enjoyment of the meal.
One of the things that kept us going back to Cracker Barrel over the years was a consistency of quality in the food. For the most part the four of us received meals that were up to Cracker Barrel’s normal standard. In my case, however, slight deviations from normal quality made a meal less than totally satisfying. As far as I can recall this is the first time I have been dissatisfied with Cracker Barrel. I am sure we will have breakfast a Cracker Barrel again in future and I hope that this glitch was a one-time event. And the grits.... well I never eat that stuff anyway.
Aug 19, 2011 http://thatfoodguy.blogspot.com/2011/08/cracker-barrel-st-petersburg-florida.html
Cracker Barrel (Old
Country Store)
771 Louisville
Rd, Alcoa, TN 37701
My first experience with Cracker
Barrel was probably more than 20 years ago; long before I started blogging my
food adventures. Back then, Cracker Barrel’s were a mostly Southeast presence
and someone from Alaska would be hard-pressed to find a convenient Cracker
Barrel. The wife and I flew down to Florida to visit her parents and one of the
places they took us was a Cracker Barrel for breakfast. Over the years and many
more trips to Florida to visit the in-laws garnered many more Cracker Barrel
experiences.
When the wife retired we started the
motor home phase of our retirement. We found that Cracker Barrel had expanded
and had stores across much of the United States and they made a convenient
place to stop for a bite one on the road. A bit later, we stayed in Florida to
spend quality time with the wife’s father in his later years. That of course made
a breakfast or even a lunch or dinner a common occurrence. That’s not to
mention that frequent newspaper promotions for daily specials made for an even lower
priced meal.
Since then we have relocated to
Eastern Tennessee. We are located not too far from where the very first Cracker
Barrel company store opened in 1969 in Lebanon Tennessee. In the past Cracker
Barrel has had some rough times with customer relations. Apparently they have
managed to smooth out the rough edges and I notice that the customer base seems
to be a cross-section of the population. They seem to be doing it right because
it has grown to be 630 stores located in 42 states and a bit less than 50
years. All of them are company owned and operated.
That brings us to today’s blog, Alcoa Tennessee's Cracker
Barrel. Since we moved here we have met Abbie and Mariano who are also Alaskan ex-pats. We have become good friends and grub mates as we see what is good
to eat in Eastern Tennessee. We agreed to meet at the local Maryville Cracker
Barrel for breakfast. There is an old expression, “if you have seen one you
have seen them all.” That is a close truism for Cracker Barrel stores. They are
not exact copies of what but very, very close in layout, merchandise offered,
the menu and usually the quality of the food. When we were traveling Cracker
Barrel offered known quality, ample portions, and reasonable price.
It was a bright sunny and unseasonably
warm day in Maryville. We managed to find a parking spot in the shade of a
tree. The coolness inside the store was a welcome change from the heat outside.
The hostess led us to a corner table where Abbie and Mariano were waiting for
us. It was all very familiar, the fireplace and the old-time country decore They
had arrived after us but we managed to pass each other in the store without
noticing.
Our server, Misty Dawn, was there
within moments to take our beverage order. A charming young lady, she would be
at tables frequently to see what we needed and yet never looming. She was a
plus to the dining experience. The menu was familiar. I was trying to juggle
the included side dishes with each selection and Misty knew the menu well
enough for me to order the right selection without having to order it
piecemeal.
Abbie ordered the Momma’s Pancake Breakfast® ($8.19 Three freshly made Buttermilk
Pancakes with your choice of any fruit topping or a warmed bottle of 100% Pure
Natural Syrup plus two eggs cooked to order and your choice of Smoked Sausage
Patties, Thick-Sliced Bacon, Turkey Sausage or Turkey Bacon.) On a plate by
themselves there were three large golden brown pancakes with a large dollop of
whipped butter. On a companion plate was the bacon, fried crisp, and eggs done to order.
It was a typical Cracker Barrel presentation, the food looked good and appetizing.
On request Abbie got more maple syrup. Momma’s pancake breakfast is a big meal
and a bit more than Abbie normally eats. She did enjoy her mail but there was a
good portion that went to Mariano and some in a doggy bag.
Mariano
ordered the French Toast ($7.19 Four
slices of our own Sourdough Bread (regular or whole wheat) dipped in egg then
grilled to perfection. Served with any fruit topping or 100% Pure Natural Syrup.)
The serving was on an oval platter and there were six thick slices of sourdough bread,
egg dipped, and they were fried to a nice appetizing golden brown with a dollop
of whipped butter on top. More syrup came as requested. Mario said it was very
good, very tasty but he did have one observation. At $7.19 for four slices of
bread the coffee really should come with it. The French toast at good
appearance, good taste, but may have been a bit overpriced after adding the coffee.
Janis
ordered the Wild Maine Blueberry
Pancakes ($7.39 Three Buttermilk Pancakes loaded with wild
Maine blueberries. Served with Wild Maine Blueberry Syrup.) Served on an
oval platter were three golden brown pancakes topped with an amazing abundance
of blueberries. All of that was topped with a generous helping of whipped
cream. There was more than enough blueberry preserves that no additional syrup
with needed. Janis enjoyed her meal, and set it was very good, very tasty. It
is a serving much larger than she normally eats but she managed to finish most of her
meal. The blueberry pancakes were presented well, were good tasting, and
adequate portion with an abundance of blueberries.
I ordered
a more conventional breakfast, at least for me, I chose the Sunrise
Sampler® ($8.19 Two eggs cooked to order with Grits, Sawmill
Gravy, homemade Buttermilk Biscuits, real butter and the best Preserves, Jam n’
Apple Butter (on request) we could find. Plus Fried Apples and Hashbrown
Casserole and a Sampling of Smoked Sausage, Country Ham and Thick-Sliced Bacon.)
This is a good combination as it includes eggs and breakfast meat along with
hashbrowns, biscuits and gravy and fried apples. I asked for my eggs over
medium and ask for the sausage as my choice of breakfast meat. The eggs were
cooked order just like I asked for. The sausage is fried nicely with good
color, was tender and had a good taste. The gravy was nice and hot, nice and
thick and had that good peppery country gravy flavor. The fried apples were
very good and always make a great end to breakfast meal. They’re kind of like
eating an apple pie without the crust.
That leaves the biscuits and the hashbrown casserole. The biscuits it had
been a loft. They were dense, heavy and one would guess that they had not used
enough baking powder. They were also cold and makes me wonder if perhaps they
weren’t left over from the day before. Without the gravy they would have been
way to dry to eat. One of my favorite parts of the Cracker Barrel breakfast is
the hashbrown casserole. This serving did not live up to what I have come to
expect from Cracker Barrel. It was quite dry and the edges crispy and serving
was way too small-sort of like the kitchen scooped the last remaining drag out
of a long-standing pan to fill my order. I did enjoy the eggs and apples
as well as the gravy. The poorly prepared biscuits and potato casserole severely
detracted from my enjoyment of the meal.
One of the things that kept us going back to Cracker Barrel over the years was a consistency of quality in the food. For the most part the four of us received meals that were up to Cracker Barrel’s normal standard. In my case, however, slight deviations from normal quality made a meal less than totally satisfying. As far as I can recall this is the first time I have been dissatisfied with Cracker Barrel. I am sure we will have breakfast a Cracker Barrel again in future and I hope that this glitch was a one-time event. And the grits.... well I never eat that stuff anyway.
Previous Cracker Barrel Blogs:
May 12 2012 http://thatfoodguy.blogspot.com/2012/05/cracker-barrel-revisited.htmlAug 19, 2011 http://thatfoodguy.blogspot.com/2011/08/cracker-barrel-st-petersburg-florida.html
Labels: bacon, Barrel, biscuits, blueberries, crack, cracker barrel, eggs, gravy, grits, maple, pancakes, sausage, syrup
¶ 2:36 PM 0 Comments
Saturday, May 28, 2016
TC's Grill - Maryville, Tennessee
I may be
wrong but it appears that pattern has influenced the advent of TC’s Grill.
There is a church, a few outbuildings, and what was once a busy gasoline
service station. Restauranteurs Shirley and Tom Clark
and Jeff Hodge moved to
present location in 2012 repurposing the old service station (which accounts
for the motif and much of the interior décor). They established a reputation
for good wholesome food at reasonable prices. In 2015 they a placed the
restaurant up for sale. Steve and Audrey Nelson purchased the Grill in December
2015 with plans to continue TC’s Grill much as it has been only seeking to
tweak the menu bit and perhaps add-on to the kitchen to make more workspace. See
the link at the bottom of this article for more information on the evolution of
TC’s Grill.
Abbie and
Mariano ate breakfast there one day. They wanted to tell us about the biscuits;
big beautiful freshly baked biscuits! Apparently a lot of people were impressed
with TC’s biscuits because they were frequently mentioned in food blog
websites. It was only natural that one day Abby and Arturo along with Janis and
I went to TC’s for breakfast to see for ourselves what it was all about..
Their menu
has many selections for breakfast (served 7 AM until 10:30 AM), lunch and
dinner. One of their combos, the Fairview, caught my eye. It consists of two
eggs, bacon or sausage and served with biscuits and gravy for $4.49. I chose
that one; the egg over and sausage. I also like my breakfast potatoes so I
ordered a side order of home fries for an additional $2.50. Coffee was an
additional $1.35. Our server made sure the coffee cup stayed full.
Janis chose
the Shirley’s special; two eggs, bacon or sausage, with a short stack of
pancakes for $7.00. She chose eggs over and bacon. By the time I got the camera
out she was already remaking her plate into an egg and pancakes sandwich. The
eggs were cooked order, the bacon crisp and not soggy. The pancakes well cooked
and with that the ethereal “golden brown and delicious.” She did enjoy her
breakfast very much; all very tasty. Coffee was an additional $1.35.
TC’s Grill
2514 Old Niles Ferry Rd,
Maryville, TN 37801
(865) 980-1905
Open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday
through Thursday, and 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday; closed on Sunday
Our good friends, Abbie and Mariano,
told us about a new restaurant they discovered. Discovered is the operative
word. To find it you either had to be going there on purpose or were helplessly
lost. It all has to do with how the local area has grown over the years. From
way back when, in the horse and buggy days, at small crossroads businesses
would spring up. Perhaps a general or feed store, perhaps a smith or even a
grain mill; quite often there was a church as well. It was easier for the local
farmers to go a mile or so to the local crossroads rather than spend the day in
travel to the big town many more miles away over rough and unimproved roads. With
the advents of the motor vehicle and improved highways, farmers can now
travel to the main town often bypassing the local crossroad businesses they
used to frequent. If you should visit TC’s, look around and ask yourself how you
would attract customers, what would you do to draw them to this seemingly
remote location (albeit just a few blocks from a Walmart Super Store)
surrounded by bucolic acres of working farmland.
Abbie and
Mariano ate breakfast there one day. They wanted to tell us about the biscuits;
big beautiful freshly baked biscuits! Apparently a lot of people were impressed
with TC’s biscuits because they were frequently mentioned in food blog
websites. It was only natural that one day Abby and Arturo along with Janis and
I went to TC’s for breakfast to see for ourselves what it was all about..
The original
renovation from service station to restaurant was well done. But inside of the
restaurant seems more like a purpose built restaurant made to resemble the old
service station rather than an old service station made into a restaurant. The
starkly contrasting black and green tile floors, the shop-green color of the
walls, the murals and pictures tell the story of the servicenbays where we
were now dining.
Their menu
has many selections for breakfast (served 7 AM until 10:30 AM), lunch and
dinner. One of their combos, the Fairview, caught my eye. It consists of two
eggs, bacon or sausage and served with biscuits and gravy for $4.49. I chose
that one; the egg over and sausage. I also like my breakfast potatoes so I
ordered a side order of home fries for an additional $2.50. Coffee was an
additional $1.35. Our server made sure the coffee cup stayed full.
It is a
diner and it was a busy morning. Certainly an acid test of what comes out of
the kitchen. My eggs were cooked to order, over medium, although they were a
bit rough looking somewhat like Army mess hall eggs cooked on a griddle. I will
say they were cooked to order, were not greasy and tasted good. I can’t hold their
rough exterior against them. The sausage patties were well cooked, nicely
seasons, cooked done but not overcooked to crisp. When I ordered the home fries
I took the option of adding onions. The home fries are diced potatoes that are
fried to a nice golden brown. The onions were perhaps added a little late as I
would have preferred them cooked a bit more. All in all it was a satisfying
serving of potatoes with onions. The biscuit gravy was served on its own plate.
True to their reputation, the biscuits were big, lite and tender; easily as big
as two biscuits elsewhere. It cut easily with a fork. The gravy was just the
right thickness, had good flavor and was an excellent pairing with the biscuit.
It was a good breakfast, adequate portions to fill a hungry appetite and tasted
good. It was good enough that I will be coming back to TC’s Grill to try other
things on their menu.
Janis chose
the Shirley’s special; two eggs, bacon or sausage, with a short stack of
pancakes for $7.00. She chose eggs over and bacon. By the time I got the camera
out she was already remaking her plate into an egg and pancakes sandwich. The
eggs were cooked order, the bacon crisp and not soggy. The pancakes well cooked
and with that the ethereal “golden brown and delicious.” She did enjoy her
breakfast very much; all very tasty. Coffee was an additional $1.35.
Abbie and
Mariano’s choices for breakfast with similar to ours. When I asked how their food was they replied that
it was very good, as good as remembered, and they would be back for more. To
return for another meal in the future is perhaps the best accolade you can
bestow on the restaurant.
TC Grill is
just a few moments automobile drive from downtown Maryville. For a nice place
the, serving good food, and a friendly atmosphere, it is not far away from
anyone in Maryville or Alcoa.
There menu is posted below.
For more information about TC's Grill...There menu is posted below.
Labels: bacon, biscuits, eggs, Fairview, gravy, grill, Maryville, pancakes, sausage, Shirley's, TC's, Tennessee
¶ 8:30 AM 0 Comments
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Cracker Barrel - Revisited
Cracker Barrel - Revisited
4011 Ulmerton Road Clearwater, FL
33762 (727) 572-8685
It was to be an early day in downtown Clearwater, a hearing before the County Commissioners about a zoning matter; the end of a long and arduous process. On the way we would pass by the wife’s favorite Aunt and Uncle who offered to go along for the moral support. It was agreed that it would also offer the opportunity for a brunch if the proceedings were short, or perhaps a lunch if it were a protracted affair. It was open, to be played by ear… Que sera, sera.
As luck would have it, it was nearly the first item on the lengthy agenda and the motion was passed. It was now a done deal at last. It was time to go and eat some eagerly awaited breakfast. A quick check of the local phone book and a familiar name popped up – Cracker Barrel. There is a certain wisdom in choosing a know name when in an unfamiliar part of town. With a large chain like Cracker Barrel you pretty well know what to expect beforehand and that engenders a certain bit of confidence about the meal. It was quorum and Cracker Barrel it was to be.
This was our first time in this particular Cracker Barrel. It is much the same as the others in general layout but I sensed a bit different, perhaps a bit smaller. I did notice that the fireplace, usually on the wall separating the kitchen from the dining room was at the end on an outside wall. Other than that, perhaps to suit the individual site, it was much as any other cracker barrel in furnishings and décor.
It was not busy and we were escorted swiftly to a large table with a window view. Our server was promptly on the scene and we were sipping coffee and perusing the menu in just a few moments. It didn’t take long before we were ready to order. Aunt Effie and Uncle Gilbert ordered the Buttermilk Pancakes.
“Buttermilk Pancakes with 100% Pure Natural Syrup The secret to our pancakes is in the buttermilk. You see, buttermilk actually activates the mix so it rises higher for more tender, flavorful pancakes - just the way we like them. Enjoy three pancakes, made from scratch and topped with real Butter. Served with a bottle of 100% Pure Natural Syrup, warmed up especially for you.”
The three large pancakes are served on a platter with a dollop of butter and the trademark little bottle of syrup. If one bottle is not enough for you other are brought on request. The pancakes were a nice golden brown, cooked through but not over cooked. Bothe Effie and Gilbert enjoyed their meal. Gilbert noticed something that may have changed – the syrup bottle not pure maple syrup. It is a mixture of maple and cane syrup. My memory, sometime faulty, recalls that it used to be pure maple syrup. Nonetheless, it didn’t appear to change the flavor and Gilbert said it tasted just like he remembered.
My wife Janis ordered the buttermilk pancakes with cherry topping.
“Buttermilk Pancakes with Fruit Toppings Three buttermilk pancakes served with your choice of Golden Delicious Apples, Marion Blackberry, Sweet Peach or Montmorency Cherry toppings. Topped with Real Whipped Cream.”
Again, three large well cooked golden brown pancakes served on a platter. There was a copious slathering of cherries and syrup and three dollops of whipped cream. She seemed to enjoy her selection very well. Suffice it to say that Janis, usually a light eater, didn’t ask for a doggie bag on this occasion.
I, on the other hand are a bit of a trencherman and I chose Grandpa’s Country Fried Breakfast.
”Grandpa's Country Fried Breakfast® Two Eggs* cooked to order with Grits, Sawmill Gravy and Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits along with real Butter and the best Preserves, Jam n' Apple Butter available. Served with your choice of Fried Apples or Hashbrown Casserole and Chicken Fried Chicken or Country Fried Steak. $7.99”
Of the choices, it was a hard pick of the hashbrowns over the fried apples; both are so good. I often times try to imitate the hashbrown casserole with copycat recipes. They come close but not exactly; but one day… I also chose the country fried steak. It is the South and the meal comes with grits, a de rigueur of Southern cuisine. I always think they taste like Cream-of-Wheat which was never a favorite from childhood. I called them wallpaper paste. As for the rest of the meal: It is an imposing array of three plates in front of you. The eggs were cooked to order, over medium. The hashbrowns were succulent. The country fried steak was perhaps a bit over cooked; just enough to make a few too crispy edges. Otherwise it was tender and tasty. For a deep-fried steak it was well drained and not at all greasy. I saved the biscuits and gravy for last and the biscuits were flaky and the gravy just right; they have the gravy down to a science. (I hope my cardiologist doesn’t read this blog.) I cleaned my plate (well, most of the grits went back to the kitchen) and thoroughly enjoyed the meal.
As I mentioned earlier, there is a certain comfort in being in a familiar place as you know what to expect. The staff at the Clearwater Cracker Barrel fulfilled those expectations very well with good service and tasty well prepared food. The fact that we were sharing the day with dear relatives certainly added to the enjoyment of the day; not to mention that Uncle Gil picked up the tab. An enjoyable day was had by all.
PS Memory was correct. I rummaged through the pantry once we got home and found a bottle of syrup from a much earlier visit to a Cracker Barrel; 100 per-cent maple syrup.
4011 Ulmerton Road Clearwater, FL
33762 (727) 572-8685
It was to be an early day in downtown Clearwater, a hearing before the County Commissioners about a zoning matter; the end of a long and arduous process. On the way we would pass by the wife’s favorite Aunt and Uncle who offered to go along for the moral support. It was agreed that it would also offer the opportunity for a brunch if the proceedings were short, or perhaps a lunch if it were a protracted affair. It was open, to be played by ear… Que sera, sera.
As luck would have it, it was nearly the first item on the lengthy agenda and the motion was passed. It was now a done deal at last. It was time to go and eat some eagerly awaited breakfast. A quick check of the local phone book and a familiar name popped up – Cracker Barrel. There is a certain wisdom in choosing a know name when in an unfamiliar part of town. With a large chain like Cracker Barrel you pretty well know what to expect beforehand and that engenders a certain bit of confidence about the meal. It was quorum and Cracker Barrel it was to be.
This was our first time in this particular Cracker Barrel. It is much the same as the others in general layout but I sensed a bit different, perhaps a bit smaller. I did notice that the fireplace, usually on the wall separating the kitchen from the dining room was at the end on an outside wall. Other than that, perhaps to suit the individual site, it was much as any other cracker barrel in furnishings and décor.
It was not busy and we were escorted swiftly to a large table with a window view. Our server was promptly on the scene and we were sipping coffee and perusing the menu in just a few moments. It didn’t take long before we were ready to order. Aunt Effie and Uncle Gilbert ordered the Buttermilk Pancakes.
“Buttermilk Pancakes with 100% Pure Natural Syrup The secret to our pancakes is in the buttermilk. You see, buttermilk actually activates the mix so it rises higher for more tender, flavorful pancakes - just the way we like them. Enjoy three pancakes, made from scratch and topped with real Butter. Served with a bottle of 100% Pure Natural Syrup, warmed up especially for you.”
The three large pancakes are served on a platter with a dollop of butter and the trademark little bottle of syrup. If one bottle is not enough for you other are brought on request. The pancakes were a nice golden brown, cooked through but not over cooked. Bothe Effie and Gilbert enjoyed their meal. Gilbert noticed something that may have changed – the syrup bottle not pure maple syrup. It is a mixture of maple and cane syrup. My memory, sometime faulty, recalls that it used to be pure maple syrup. Nonetheless, it didn’t appear to change the flavor and Gilbert said it tasted just like he remembered.
My wife Janis ordered the buttermilk pancakes with cherry topping.
“Buttermilk Pancakes with Fruit Toppings Three buttermilk pancakes served with your choice of Golden Delicious Apples, Marion Blackberry, Sweet Peach or Montmorency Cherry toppings. Topped with Real Whipped Cream.”
Again, three large well cooked golden brown pancakes served on a platter. There was a copious slathering of cherries and syrup and three dollops of whipped cream. She seemed to enjoy her selection very well. Suffice it to say that Janis, usually a light eater, didn’t ask for a doggie bag on this occasion.
I, on the other hand are a bit of a trencherman and I chose Grandpa’s Country Fried Breakfast.
”Grandpa's Country Fried Breakfast® Two Eggs* cooked to order with Grits, Sawmill Gravy and Homemade Buttermilk Biscuits along with real Butter and the best Preserves, Jam n' Apple Butter available. Served with your choice of Fried Apples or Hashbrown Casserole and Chicken Fried Chicken or Country Fried Steak. $7.99”
Of the choices, it was a hard pick of the hashbrowns over the fried apples; both are so good. I often times try to imitate the hashbrown casserole with copycat recipes. They come close but not exactly; but one day… I also chose the country fried steak. It is the South and the meal comes with grits, a de rigueur of Southern cuisine. I always think they taste like Cream-of-Wheat which was never a favorite from childhood. I called them wallpaper paste. As for the rest of the meal: It is an imposing array of three plates in front of you. The eggs were cooked to order, over medium. The hashbrowns were succulent. The country fried steak was perhaps a bit over cooked; just enough to make a few too crispy edges. Otherwise it was tender and tasty. For a deep-fried steak it was well drained and not at all greasy. I saved the biscuits and gravy for last and the biscuits were flaky and the gravy just right; they have the gravy down to a science. (I hope my cardiologist doesn’t read this blog.) I cleaned my plate (well, most of the grits went back to the kitchen) and thoroughly enjoyed the meal.
As I mentioned earlier, there is a certain comfort in being in a familiar place as you know what to expect. The staff at the Clearwater Cracker Barrel fulfilled those expectations very well with good service and tasty well prepared food. The fact that we were sharing the day with dear relatives certainly added to the enjoyment of the day; not to mention that Uncle Gil picked up the tab. An enjoyable day was had by all.
PS Memory was correct. I rummaged through the pantry once we got home and found a bottle of syrup from a much earlier visit to a Cracker Barrel; 100 per-cent maple syrup.
Labels: Barrel, biscuits, breakfast, chicken, Cracker, eggs, fried steak, gravy, pancakes, restaurant
¶ 1:48 PM 0 Comments
