(Re)Discover Chattanooga - Main Street Meats

Let's talk about burgers.

Burgers in Chattanooga are a serious business.  Who has the best burger has been debated on what I consider to be the definitive Chattanooga food blog, Chattavore.  According to Mary, the best burgers in Chattanooga are found at Tremont Tavern.   And they're good, really good.  I've had the gouda burger and the pimento cheese burger. They're both awesome.  Tremont Tavern trims and grinds their own meat in house, and make their patties by hand every morning. They do a great job.

You want to know what's better than in house ground beef?  Aged, grass fed, local, hand ground beef from Main Street Meats.  That's right, aged hamburger meat.

The guys at Main Street Meats mean business.  The only reason they even have a kitchen is to get your hooked on their butcher shop, and they only serve food from 11am-3pm. They do their burgers up right.  Each patty is made to order.  They cook them on cast iron.  CAST IRON.  It gives the burgers a perfectly flavored crust that you can't get any other way.  Sorry Tremont, these guys have got you beat.

My first (of many to come) burger at Main Street Meats was topped with caramelized onions, a homemade coarse grain mustard, with a homemade pepper mayo underneath, and served on a Neidloves bun.  I've heard there is a version with bacon, but as wonderful as that sounds, this burger was perfectly composed.  This burger was juicy without soaking the bun.  It was meaty, the onions were sweet, the pepper mayo was enough of a hint to be noticed, and the course grain mustard was killer.  Someone from our group asked the chef if anyone had ever asked for ketchup.  We all just laughed. 

If you're not hungry enough now, let's talk about the butcher shop, and while we're at it, cheese.  Just for good measure.

Main Street Meats is the USDA Certified expansion of Link 41, my favorite sausage shop.  (If you don't have a favorite sausage shop, get on it.  Your life will be enriched.)  In a nutshell, Link 41 focused on butchering pigs, and Main Street Meats doesn't discriminate.  Equal opportunity for butchering grass fed/free range local farm animals.

They have great relationships with local farmers, and on top of that, they're great butchers who really know their stuff.  If you have any questions about what you see in the meat case, they will tell you everything you need to know.  If you know what you want to cook, but don't know the right cut, they can help.  There's also some good stuff in their freezer, so look there too.  That's where we found the baconage.  That's right.  Sausage made with bacon.  Breakfast will never be the same.

The freezer is where you will find broths, lard, and a selection of Sequatchie Cove Cheeses.  I shared this fact with my friends from Clemson, and no joke I got a text this week asking for more Blu Cheese the next time I visit.  It's that good.

Main Street Meats is a local butcher shop that happens to have the best burger in town.  And if that's not enough to make you want to check them out, they just hosted a class on sausage making that ended with a sausage and beer tasting.  If for some crazy reason cooking with great meat intimidates you, they have started a new blog where they are posting recipes, photos and information.  Still need convincing that Main Street Meats is for real?  Listen to this interview that recently aired on NPR.

I seriously recommend that you check these guys out, and if you stop by during lunch, grab a burger.  I think it's the best in town. (I still love you Tremont.)

Main Street Meats 
217 E Main Street
Chattanooga, TN 37408
(423) 602-9568

Hours:
Monday to Friday 11:00 am - 7:00 pm
Saturday 10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Lunch served daily 11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Closed Sundays
*I haven't looked for them at the Sunday Market yet, but they have had a booth in the past.

website | facebook | @MainStreetMeats

(Re)Discover Chattanooga - 1885 Grill

The best part of moving back to Chattanooga has been the food.  I know I keep saying this, but the selection, the diversity, and the quality of the food in Chattanooga is light years ahead of what 18 year old me remembers.

One of the newer restaurants in Chattanooga is 1885 Grill in St. Elmo.  The sign out front says 'Southern Coastal', and after spending 10 years in South Carolina, this made me happy.  I didn't learn to eat seafood until I left Chattanooga, and the idea of Shrimp & Grits made me feel warm & fuzzy inside.

I went to 1885 last weekend for a girls night/reunion, and it turned out to be a perfect choice.  Our waiter set a casual tone, and we were comfortable taking our time and catching up.  We started with drinks, and I tried the Catalina Wine Mixer (Prichards Rye Whiskey, fresh ginger, lemon and Cabernet). It was a really intriguing combination, and when our server said the bartender has never been known to make a bad drink, I went for it.

Catalina Wine Mixer

It comes out all layered and pretty (which I appreciate) but is a little tart to drink out of a straw without mixing first.  Once it's mixed, it was really good.  I don't use ginger a lot, but I feel like I should.  The drink wasn't overly wine-y or too heavy on the whiskey; the ginger and the lemon really balanced it out. 

The executive chef at 1885 is Charlie Loomis, and I absolutely love it that our waiter named him when he was explaining the daily specials.  It means a lot when a chef puts his name on something, and when the people around him are excited and proud of the work he puts out.  Which brings me to dinner, which was surprisingly not Shrimp and Grits.

Dinner was one of the Chef's Specials for the night: lamb over mashed potatoes, green beans, roasted tomatoes and a hearty sauce that I am at a loss for words to describe. When I asked the waiter to help me choose between the special and the shrimp & grits, he recommended the special, since I can always come back for shrimp & grits.  (And come back I shall)  I won't tease you by describing all of the goodness on my plate bite by bite, but I will tell you that the waiter offered to get me a knife for the lamb, but promised I wouldn't need it.  He was right, I barely needed a butter knife.  I rarely eat lamb, and this special was a treat.

The rest of the table seemed to enjoy their meals as well.  The Chef's Special Kale Salad went over really well, as did the macaroni & cheese.  The steaks were well recieved as well.  The one note on the steaks was that the initial reaction is that the portion is small, but with the sides included, the portions were right.  No one left our table hungry, I can say that for sure.

What I think I like best about 1885 is its location and atmosphere.  I really like that it is in St. Elmo and not downtown.  I enjoy going somewhere different, and I imagine people who work downtown don't always want to go back downtown after work or on the weekend.  Its a low key kind of place that seems to focus on quality, and the staff - from the chefs to the waiters - are proud of the food they put out.  It's a relaxing atmosphere that serves good food.  And the kind of place I can see myself going back to.

1885 Grill:
3914 St. Elmo Avenue
Chattanooga Tn  37409 
423.485.3050

Hours:

• Monday–Friday: 4pm – 10pm
• Saturday: 11am – 10pm
• Sunday: 11am – 3pm

website  |  Facebook  |  @1885Grill  |  instagram

(Re)Discover Chattanooga - Community Pie's new NY Style Pizza

Mmmmm, Community Pie.  As I've said before, I love Community Pie.  I had never been exposed to Neopoliton pizza before they opened, but my Italian taste buds very much approve of everything I have eaten in my multiple trips to Community Pie.  The warm gooey crust is right up my alley, and it doesn't bother me at all that it is meant to be eaten with a knife and a fork.  The flavor combinations on the menu always have me fighting to make a decision.  Homemade gelato from Milk & Honey is the icing on the top of what is always a good meal.

But there is more to pizza than just Neapolitan style pizza.  There is New York Style Pizza, Chicago Deep Dish, etc etc.  So I was excited earlier this month when I found out that Community Pie was adding New York Style pizza to the menu.  I was even more excited when they sent me a gift certificate thanking me for my previous blog post.  So a trip to Community Pie was in order....twist my arm.

We went last Saturday night to try it out.  There was about a 30 minute wait at 6:30, but we quickly found seats at the bar, and decided to eat there.  The bar staff was friendly, and it looked like our awesome waiter from our first trip to Community Pie is now a manager.  He is on top of things and super friendly, and we were happy to see that he is still around.

The New York style pizza is available by the slice, and also in 14" and 19" pies.  We wanted to try something that sounded cool, and also something basic that would show off the new crust, so we ordered two 14" pizzas: the Drunk Pig ("vodka sauce, Community Pie ricotta, homemade fennel sausage, fresh mozzarella, parmasean cheese, and crushed red pepper"), and the Demarco ("Fresh & Shredded mozzarella, hand torn basil, extra virgin olive oil, and pecorino romano").

Never try and edit a picture on an iphone.

 
The verdict???  Jon Stewart would approve.  (Jon Stewart has strong feelings on pizza crusts.)

The crust: In true New York Style fashion, both crusts were cooked well, easy to pick up, fold, and bite into.  I am not an expert on New York Style crusts, but I liked the crust on both pizzas.  There is no mistaking the New Your crust for the Neopoliton, so I call this a crust win.

The toppings:  The Drunk Pig was good, but the Demarco was amazing.  I'm a cheese pizza fan to begin with, and the Demarco is a grown up version of what what comes to mind when I think of New York Style cheese pizza.  It's got enough fresh mozzarella to be a little greasy, but the mix of hard cheeses means it's not swimming in grease.  You can't go wrong with torn basil and extra virgin olive oil, and the Demarco was the pizza that we attacked...it was that good.  The sausage on the Drunk Pig was a little strong for my taste, but the vodka sauce, ricotta, and other cheeses were all on point.

Of course, we couldn't leave Community Pie without gelato...even in November.  You can try up to three flavors per serving, but I didn't look farther than two:  Mint Chocolate and Milk & Honey.

Thanks for the gift certificate Community Pie, I enjoyed it!   My favorite crust is still the Neapolitan style, but don't be surprised if you see me come in for a slice of New York style cheese pizza sometime soon.  :)

Community Pie
850 Market Street,
Chattanooga TN 37405
423.486.1743

Hours: Sunday-Thursday 11am-10pm
Friday and Saturday 11am-11pm
Website | Facebook | @CommunityPie 
New Menu

a recipe

Creative post title right?  I don't usually do recipe posts, but I made something this weekend that I really liked, and I thought I'd share.

French toast is one of my all-time favorite breakfast foods, but one that I don't usually make for myself.  It's messy, and I can burn grilled cheese, so I tend to stay away.  I've been eyeing some french toast bakes on pinterest, so I combined a few recipes, took a look around my kitchen, and came up with this:

Ingredients:

1. (1) medium loaf/baguette of sourdough bread
2. 4 eggs
3. 1 cup almond milk
4. 2 tablespoons of vanilla
5. 1 tablespoon-ish Alchemy Spice "Wake & Bake" (Cinnamon, nutmeg, good stuff blend)

Prep:
Wisk everything except the bread together in a large bowl.  Slice the bread into 1"-1.25" slices.  (Since I was doing finger foods for brunch, I cut them again into stick size slices.) Gently place the bread into the bowl, folding it once after all the bread is added, and let it soak for about an hour.

This is where I thought I was going to have a pinterest fail.  The bread quickly became mushy, and wanted to fall apart in the bowl, before I even finished adding all the bread.  I think this is because my bread had dried out some, but I had a small freak out.  I ended up with some small-ish pieces, but it came back together as it baked....and they were still really good.

Bake:
Place in a greased (and floured if you feel so inclined) 13"x9" pan, and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30-45 minutes, or until brown.

ta-da - french toast sticks

This turned out really good.  Good enough for me to type out a post just so I can pin it, and have it for future reference good.

Some notes:  I have started keeping almond milk around because it lasts longer in my fridge.  It's thicker than regular milk, which I think works well here, but you can use whatever you have in your fridge.  Vanilla is always good, and the Wake & Bake Sweet Spice is worth keeping around.   I used it in an apple sangria last fall, and my mom puts it on apples.  A little goes a long way, so use it to taste.  Alchemy is a local Chattanooga Company, so gotta love that too.

(Re)Discover Chattanooga - Brix Nouveau

I love wine.  I love cheese.  I love music.  I was very happy on the Brix Nouveau patio this past weekend.

He who takes better pictures than me.

The concept behind Brix Nouveau is giving people a chance to learn about wine.  People who know wine can order by the bottle or by the glass, but if you don't know wine, the staff is very helpful, and you can order tasting groups called fights.  The flights are groups of wines designed to give you a chance to develop your own tastes, and try things you might not have experimented with on your own.  I believe the idea is that the flight offerings are constantly evolving, so that you can really explore the wine list.  (Twist my arm.) This weekend the options included a sparkling wine flight, which made me really excited.

Where there is wine, there is also cheese, and I love how Brix Nouveau sets this up.  They have an amazing list of meats, cheeses, and accompaniments, and you can pick what size tray you want, and each item on the tray.  We're talking everything from dark chocolate wafers & fresh honeycomb, to dried meats & aged cheeses.

They also use oil and vinegar from Olive, an olive oil and balsamic tasting room on the north shore.  Oh my goodness, this was amazing and deserving of it's own picture.  Raspberry Balsamic ohmygoodness.

The atmosphere is elegant, but relaxed.  It's a place I felt comfortable with friends after a casual trip to the market, but would also be well suited for a nice date.

Looking at the Brix Nouveau website and Facebook page, the theme of wine education is played out in a Wednesday night 'Wine 101 Tasting.'  It's priced at $20, and the discussion is geared towards beginners who want to know more.  The wines are rotated every two weeks, and I think this is a great (and affordable) way to learn about wine.

Our server also mentioned that the North Shore Block Party is this weekend, and the First Annual Progressive Dinner is tonight!  It will start at Heaven and Ale across the street, and end at Brix Nouveau.  The cost is $50 (including tax) and "covers food at all restaurants involved – Heaven and Ale, Foodworks, Sushi Nabe, Gigi’s, Milk and Honey, and Brix Nouveau."  You can travel at your own pace, and pick up tickets today at Heaven and Ale.  All I can say is yum, and yes please.

Edit 8/19/13:  Robin Dance at Pensieve.me has just started a "Love Where You Live" linkup, and the first topic is favorite restaurants.   Brix Nouveau is a perfect fit for this list, with Sushi Nabe, Sweet Basil, Typhoon of Tokyo, The Terminal, Alleia, and Foodworks brunch also deserving of some love!  For more of my favorite places to eat in Chattanooga click on the #CHAeats tag.


Brix Nouveau
301 Cherokee Blvd, 
Chattanooga, TN 37405
(423) 488- 2926    
brixnouveau@gmail.com
Tuesday-Thursday:              5:00pm-10:00pm
Friday-Saturday:                  4:00pm-11:00pm
Sunday:                                4:00pm-9:00pm *
*Sundays featuring 25% of all wine bottles and live entertainment  
website | facebook | instagram | pinterest

(Re)Discover Chattanooga - Flying Squirrel Bar

Today marks one week since Flying Squirrel Bar opened their doors in Chattanooga's Southside neighborhood.  I have a feeling it's been quite a week for them.  I couldn't resist a bar named Flying Squirrel, so last Saturday I went with friends to check it out.  We went for after dinner drinks, and we had a blast.

When we walked up to the Flying Squirrel, the first thing we noticed was all the people milling about.  People were coming in from all directions, congregating at The Flying Squirrel.  All of the bike racks were full, as were the seats on the outside section of the bar.  When I was growing up, this was one of the areas of town where I was told "lock your doors."  The atmosphere has changed though, and it really felt like a neighborhood.

We took a quick tour of the inside, and there is no other word to describe it other than beautiful...ok maybe classy.  It's full of locally hand crafted wood (much of it reclaimed or scrap), and large, modern, glass windows.  There are LED pendent lights, and an array of seating options.  There is an upstairs lounge with couches and chairs, and the main section downstairs has semi private booths, as well as floating bistro height bars for those who like to stand and mingle.  Outside, there are garage style doors that open up to reveal that the bar is actually shaped like U, as well as tables, and a retaining wall that doubles as bench seating.  Even the bathrooms are cool, with neat sinks and european style hand dryers.

Our waiter confirmed that the opening weekend had, as we suspected, been nuts, and that the after dinner crowd was actually a lull for them.  Our table ordered a mix of craft beers and mixed drinks, and I have to say that I really enjoyed my Watermelon Old Fashioned made with Chattanooga Whiskey.  I'll also say that I am not a gin drinker, but the Rare Form (a gin martini with rosemary syrup) was really good.

As the night went on, we saw the crowd shift to a younger dynamic.  Being somewhere between 'young professional' and 'older than I actually feel', I liked the wide range of people who were checking out this new neighborhood bar.  Everyone seemed laid back, even if you could tell they were ready for a night out.  I can see Flying Squirrel as a place I would be comfortable just about any time of day, and I wish there were something like it on my street!

The only thing I can't praise Flying Squirrel for is the food, and that's only because I haven't tried it...yet.  (I'll let you know when I do.  Word on the street is that the garlic fries are on point.)  The staff was knowledgeable and attentive, and the drink menu was comprehensive without being so ambitious that it couldn't be executed well.  The atmosphere is great, and it didn't feel like a place that had only been open a few days.  Everything is finished and in place, and no one was rushing around trying to get used to the setup.  The guys from the Crash Pad do a good job, and The Flying Squirrel is no exception.  I definitely encourage you to check it out the next time you're on the Southside!

Flying Squirrel Bar
55 Johnson Street
Chattanooga, Tennessee 37408
Tues-Sat: 5pm-3am
Sun: 10:30am-2pm  5pm-1am (limited menu)
Closed Monday
Website | facebook | @squirrelbar | Instagram

(Re)Discover Chattanooga - The Terminal Brewhouse

I've been back in Chattanooga 2 years now, and it's only when people stop and say "you've never been to insert any number of cool places" that it becomes evident that I really was gone for a decade.  I promise I am not as old as that makes me sound.

One of the places people are shocked that I'd never been is The Terminal Brewhouse. A few weeks ago, I was with friends on the Southside, and they decided this was a problem that needed to be fixed.  So we walked from the First Tennessee Pavilion over to The Terminal.

One of the reasons The Terminal has been on my unofficial list of places to go in Chattanooga is their rooftop patio and garden.  It's picnic table seating, with panels for shade, and herbs, flowers, and has vines growing all over.  It's not a surprise that I love an urban garden.  So, we sat outside and ordered drinks and an appetizer.

I'm not qualified to talk about the house brewed beer, (I'm allergic to hops) but I know that it is made on site, and it has a good reputation around town.  I am qualified to talk about the appetizer, and our 'Festo' - feta, basil, olive oil spread - was great.  It's simple, served with pita bread, and addictive... you've been warned.

As much as the Terminal is known for their beer, they are also known for their burgers.  The Bison Burger is known by some as the best in town.  The menu is pretty simple, and you can tell what The Terminal does, they do really well.  I had to be different and ordered the "Macho Man" sandwich.  Randy Savage would be proud.  The menu says "An 8oz cajun dusted chicken breast topped with hot sausage, pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, and cajun mayo."  It was amazing.  I ordered mine with a side of bacon grits, and yeah, it was good.  Really good.  It was also huge, so it took a while to eat, which was OK, because it was prom season, and we enjoyed another round of drinks while we watched people bring in their prom dates.  Yes, The Terminal is a burger place that is prom date worthy.

The other completely unrelated, but fun, thing about our trip to The Terminal was that the Chattanooga Whiskey 'Whiskey Truck' was parked outside.  Great minds think alike, right?

The Terminal
No. 6 14th Street
Chattanooga, TN 37408
423.752.8090

Website | Menu

 

(Re) Discover Chattanooga - Lupis

You can't go wrong with Lupi's. When I was in high school the downtown Lupi's was "the" place to go.  There were Christmas lights inside, your friends were there, it was the fun place to be.

Fast forward to now, and when I came back from Clemson, not only was Lupi's still around, they had expanded to my neck of the woods, East Brainerd.  And now they have wine.
 
Since I've been back, I've gotten into the local food movement, and I was surprised to lee Lupi's on the Harvested Here, Restaurant Week list.  If I had paid more attention to the food before, I wouldn't have been surprised.  Lupi's has always been a supporter of Local ingredients, I was just too distracted by the lights to notice...and I was 16.  That played a part too.

Lupi's uses as many local ingredients as possible.  This includes everything from local whole wheat flour, to local (and organic) gluten free pizza dough, to local toppings from the farms shown in the blurry picture on the side of this post.  They're also supporting another local company, PURE Sodaworks.  I love that Lupi's has seasonal toppings, and I can't wait for the heirloom tomatoes this summer, their caprese salad is on point!

Lupi's in East Brainerd is a semi-regular stop for me, one of the few on this side of town.  I like to dine in and have an adult beverage, but my mom does the 'Take & Bake',  and it's located right next to Heritage Park, so it's never a bad idea to pick up a to-go order and head to the park.

Zucchini & Mushroom

Sun Dried Tomato & Garlic, Spinach & Artichoke

Edit 4/12:  You can see from the pictures that they don't skimp on the toppings at Lupi's.  I will recommend that you stay away from the garlic though.  There was a lot on my slice, and it wasn't quite all the way roasted.  You can tell that they roast the garlic in house, so it may have been a one time thing, but I would have liked to see less garlic, that was all the way cooked.
 
Lupis Pizza
1414 Jenkins Road

Chattanooga, TN 37421

(423) 855-4104
Also: Downtown, Hixson, Cleveland
Hours: Monday: Closed, Tues- Thurs: 11am-10pm, Fri & Sat: 11am-11pm, Sun: 11:30am-9pm
Menu | Take & Bake | website | facebook 
 

(Re)Discover Chattanooga - Chat'O Brasserie

To understand this review, you need to know a little about me.  I'm 31, single, and I'm settling into living in my first house.  Reading in between the lines, what I'm really trying to say is that I'm a single income family with some grown-up type expenses.  Also, I'm an honest person, and so are my reviews.  With all of that out of the way, lets talk about Chat'O.

First the good things.

I love the layout and the atmosphere.  It's classy, relaxing, and I've never felt rushed in any of my meals.  It's formal, but I've never felt out of place in my version of night-out clothes (I'm a jeans & a cute top kind of girl).  I've been a few times, once for drinks, once for dinner, and once that ended up more tapas style.  The wine selection is great.  There's variety, and a standard for quality that you would never get at a more run of the mill restaurant.

The bad things.

It's expensive. The food is good, but it's not great.  There is a lot of diversity build into in the menu, and I can tell they spend a lot of time putting it together.  I've had some things that were amazing, and some things that didn't impress me as much. (Every piece of duck I have eaten fell in the amazing category btw.) Unfortunately, there are other upscale restaurants in Chattanooga that I know I'll love anything that comes out of the kitchen.  Alleia being at the top of my list.

How I like to do Chat'O

My favorite way to do Chat'O is tapas style.  I like to take advantage of the first come, first serve, section of the restaurant near the bar.  There are bistro tables for 4, and a long booth that can accommodate larger or smaller groups.  The wine is great, and there is a nice selection of small and medium plates that can be shared.  I am perfectly happy with a glass of wine and the meat & cheese plate.  You can add a salad, or any other the other appetizers, and it's a great way to catch up with friends over a meal without breaking the bank.  If you're thrifty keep an eye out for coupons, they're not opposed to putting them out there.

Chato Brasserie
200 Manufacturers Road ~ Chattanooga TN 37405
(423) 305-1352 (reservations preferred)
website ~ Facebook

Hours: 
Mon - Thu: 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm,  
Fri - Sat: 5:00 pm - 10:00 pm, 
Sun: 11:00 am - 3:00 pm

(Re)Discover Chattanooga - Community Pie

I love new restaurants.  I love the energy and the passion for food that comes with opening a new restaurant.

One of Chattanooga's newest restaurants is Communnity Pie.  It is owned by the same people who have Taco Mamacita and Urban Stack, two of Chattanooga's best casual dining experiences.

Much has been said about how the owners traveled to Italy to learn the traditional way to prepare Neopolaton style pizza.  Many people have been impressed with the beautiful oven the pizza's are cooked in.  The kid in me was excited about the homemade gelato...even in the middle of winter!

Beautiful Oven Picture courtesy of Community Pie

Before I get to the food, I want to take a minute to talk about my first impression of Community Pie as you walk in the door and to your table.

The space is open & classy without being stuffy.  It's decorated in Navy Blue, warm tones, and white trim.  In no way does it look like a little sailor boy's bedroom.  There are big u-shaped leather booths perfect for gathering around a pizza, tufted bar stools, painted advertizement style murals on the brick walls, funky lighting, and beautiful ceilings.

Community Pie has paid attention to the details in the menu too.  Both the food and drink menu are simple, well thought out, and interesting.  I love a good drink menu, and this one is pretty awesome.  They did a great job identifying with a broad range of potential customers. You've got everything from PBR to Italian beers, a hard cider selection (!!!), Chattanooga Whiskey, and wine by the bottle & by the glass.

Beautiful Bar picture courtesy of Community Pie

But what about the food??

It was good!  Our waiter was fantastic, (I could write a whole post about him, and how he came to Chattanooga) and he educated us about the fact that Neopolaton pizza is supposed to have a warm gooey center that is best eaten with a fork.  Who knew? (I'll give you a hint, not me.)

We had caprese toasts as an appetizer, and our table had the Sweet Fig & Pork Confit pizzas.  The caprese toasts were great, plenty of diced tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, a great balsamic, and fresh basil. Not surprisingly our conversation quickly turned to summer.

Beautiful Toast Picture courtesy of Community Pie

Our pizzas accidentally paired well together, the Sweet Fig a nice balance to the no joke peppers on the Pork Confit pie.  The pizzas are are good size (12" I think) and can be shared or ordered individually.

Sweet Fig

Pork Confit

After the meal came the gelato....and after seeing this picture on facebook, it was something I was very much looking forward too!

Beautiful menu picture courtesy of Community Pie

We tried the Milk & Honey, and the Salted Caramel.  Both flavors were great, and I've got my eye open for when the Hot Chocolate rotates back onto the menu.

The gelato is made by Milk & Honey, a local sister company to Community Pie.  The owners were trained in Italy on making gelato, just like they were trained on the pizza.  The gelato is not quite perfect yet, but it's really good, and I love that they're experimenting with flavors.  It's one of those things that's good now, and you know that it's only going to get better.

I really enjoyed Community Pie, and I have a feeling it is going to find its way into my regular rotation of dinner spots!

UPDATE:  I went back to Community Pie 2/15/13 and the mint chocolate gelato is fantastic.  They're always changing out the gelato flavors, so keep an eye out on their Facebook page for the next time mint chocolate comes around.  We also had the specialty pizza, the Superhero, and it was great too. 

Community Pie
850 Market Street, Chattanooga TN 37405
423.486.1743

Hours: Sunday-Thursday 11am-10pm
Friday and Saturday 11am-11pm
Website | Facebook | @CommunityPie 


Thanks to Community Pie for letting me use their logo and some of their pictures.  As you know, my iPhone can only do so much.

(Re)Discover Chattanooga - Glen Gene Deli

I feel like I give a lot of love to downtown on this blog, but not my neck of the woods...East Brainerd.

Glen Gene Deli is one of my go-to lunch stops, and I think it's time to share it with everyone.

'My' Glen Gene is off Shallowford Road, near Hamilton Place Mall.  It's convenient to work, (I can get in and out the back way without getting sucked into mall and interstate traffic) and the food is consistently good, not amazing, but really nice for a quick lunch out.  The menu includes all the lunch staples, sandwiches, salads, and burgers, with a few welcome additions - sandwiches "in a sack" and deserts.

I don't know about you, but anything in a pita feels healthier than the same sandwich in a bun.  My favorites include The Gyro, Chicken in a Sack, and when I'm throwing the diet to the wind, the Philly Cheese Steak in a Sack.  The sacks are a good size, but I've also been known to order a side of tater tots.  Seriously, who doesn't loved the fried potato glory that are tater tots??

Most days I stick with the drive-thru (so I can spend my lunchbreak glued to twitter & Pinterest), but if you dine in, they have a nice little bar with all the sandwich & burger fixings, so you can make everything just the way you like it.

here,  click image for more detail

The other thing I love about Glen Gene is their dessert menu.  This is where you can tell someone put some love into the menu.  You've got pie by the slice, and more milkshakes than I've been able to try so far.  A Cinnamon Toast Crunch Milkshake you say?? That's just one of the fun toppings they have on the menu.

here, click image for more detail

Glen Gene Deli:

Hours: 10AM to 9:30PM,  "Every Day Ending With Y"

 Website | East Brainerd Location on Facebook | Hixson Location on Facebook

East Brainerd Location:

7025 Shallowford Road
Chattanooga, TN 37421
423.899.7733

Hixson Location:
5748 Highway 153
Hixson, TN 37343
423.877.9997
 

(Re)Discover Chattanooga - Fork & Pie Bar

Fork & Pie Bar.  Even the name just sounds awesome. Fork...Pie...Bar...do you really need much more??

Continuing my 'Chattanooga Brunch Tour', I went with a friend to Fork & Pie Bar recently for a casual Sunday brunch. I had heard that Fork & Pie Bar was a little on the expensive side, but I have to disagree. My quiche, side, mimosa, and 2 deserts (one for my mom) were under $15, and I consider that very reasonable.

For brunch Fork & Pie Bar offers a daily selection of quiches by the slice...and by slice they mean a full 1/4 of a 9 inch pie.   They also serve my favorite...mimosas, and have a Bloody Mary bar set up.  And by the looks of it they take it very seriously.

Bloody Mary drinkers are very particular about their drinks, and I saw just about everything anyone could want on the bar.

I love how their daily menu is a floor to ceiling chalk board of pie.

even instagram couldn't help this picture...sorry y'all

So back to the pie...it was good!  So good that I forgot I was going to blog about brunch, and dove right in without taking a picture.  What can I say, I got distracted.

What I like about Fork & Pie Bar is that there are at least 3 more things on the menu that I want to try...just on the savory side.  I also love the mini pies.  At first glance they look a little small (but that's the point right) but they really are the perfect size.  They're exactly the right amount of food.  I enjoyed every bite and didn't feel guilty about cleaning my plate.

Fork & Pie Bar:

811 Market St  Chattanooga, TN 37402

(423) 485-3257

Hours: Mon-Thurs: 11am-9pm; Fri-Sat: 11am-11pm; Sun: 10am-2pm 

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