Chick(en)s & Waffles

Chicken & waffles is a classic combo, but one of the newest places in Knoxville has designed their whole restaurants around the meal. Myrtle’s Chicken and Beer has filled a spot in Downtown’s luxe area of Market Square.

Everything on the menu spans many variations of chicken sandwiches, wraps, salads and of course waffles. I honestly ordered a lot more at this restaurant than I have at any other because every item looked SO GOOD.

My dinner date and I started with a basket of cheddar bacon biscuits. They were all gone before our meal came out. While the biscuits might have tasted like a glorified Bisquick biscuit and not as cheesy as my date would have preferred, but still so so good.

Next up was my chicken and waffles meal that is the featured photo of this post. Now I was a person who growing up ordered chicken and waffles anytime I saw it on the menu because, I mean chicken tenders and waffles to a kid was a great invention. I find it a perfect merger of breakfast food with all other times of the day. However, these chicken and waffles were not the best I had ever had. The disappointment was all over my face as my dinner date could tell I was sad.

This does NOT mean that the meal was bad, but I just honestly was not impressed. My dinner date ordered something different than I, and munched on a hot chicken sandwich he believed would give Chick-fil-A a fierce competition. While that is obvious blasphemy, the bite I stole from the sandwich while he was very good, and dare I say better than the chicken and waffles!

The food item I will rave about is actually very surprising. Pimento cheese mac and cheese sounded good when I read it on the menu but my taste buds in no way could have imagined the fireworks about to be consumed. Honestly I plan to go back only to eat copious amounts of it.

If you’d like to try this new restaurant out, Myrtle’s Chicken and Beer can be found on Instagram as @myrtleschickenandbeer and on Facebook as Myrtle’s Chicken + Beer, both providing chicken photos galore.

Food Truck Buff

One rainy afternoon two friends told me we were getting in a car and driving to find a food truck that cooked hibachi. I wholeheartedly agreed as hibachi is always a good idea. When we found the food truck we were greeted by the happy and smiling husband and wife duo that make up Kanzoku Hibachi Express!

To find out where the couple will be for lunch or dinner one must follow their Facebook page. The location schedule for the food truck is uploaded every Monday night to their Facebook page. However, they do have a pattern with a few locations like hitting Central Filling Station on Thursday nights. At this location There are tables and benches where one can sit to enjoy the meal selected.

Kanzoku Hibachi provides many traditional hibachi meals but allow you to pick your meat, and sides. They offer, chicken, steak, tofu and shrimp for meat. The sides range from zucchini, mushrooms, carrots, brown and white rice. These options can be mixed and matched for a personal hibachi masterpiece, but as always should be topped with their homemade yum yum sauce.

If you need a good hibachi fix look up Kanzoku Hibachi Express on Facebook to find out where they will go next!

Uptown Girls Don’t Eat Well

When you want the good eats in Knoxville, Downtown is where you need to be. More specifically, Downtown Grill & Brewery, a staple in Knoxville’s Downtown dinning scene. Perched in the middle of South Gay Street, it is the spot to go after a movie at the Regal Cinemas, a show at the Tennessee Theater or before going to an event in Market Square, like Shakespeare plays or movies on Market Square. The menu boasts many different plates from burgers, pasta, appetizers, salads, and of course a wide variety of beer.

I have a favorite for every course from this restaurant as it has been across the street from the office I have been interning for. Their $5 lunch specials are not only amazing deals, but since they differ every day one can try many things! These lunch specials also include percentages off a meal for different downtown offices. Sundays include a brunch with waffles and mimosas.

My favorite items from this restaurant could be a long list but I’ll spare you and tell you my top two picks! For an appetizer, the beer cheese and pretzels are delicious. In the happy hour version, the pretzels come in mini bites, and when served at other hours, the appetizer comes with whole pretzels. For a main meal, the classic Dan’s Pasta is my absolute favorite meal every time I have it. Dan’s Pasta is a twist on chicken Alfredo, served with grilled chicken, mushrooms, and penne pasta.

If the draw of great food wasn’t enough DGB offers Poker Night ever Monday, Trivia every Tuesday, and a Jazz themed happy hour doing the previously mentioned brunch on Sundays. And to keep up with these events their Facebook is the place to go to stay informed, and see their cool pics like the one posted with this blog. Like them on Facebook to see what’s coming next! (https://www.facebook.com/downtowngrillandbrewery/?epa=SEARCH_BOX)

Carnitas, Cantinas, & Celebrations

Celebrating with tacos and margaritas sounds like a great party, right? But it’s made even better when you are celebrating one of the best, local Mexican restaurants in Knoxville, SoKno Taco! This local hotspot threw a house party this past weekend celebrating their two-year anniversary.

The celebrations included house margaritas for $5, taco plate specials and a great atmosphere. And many people showed their appreciation for the restaurant as finding parking took well over 20 minutes, but this is a Knoxville wide epidemic no matter where you go.

SoKno Taco had a great staff that handled the crowd with ease. The wait was supposed to be an hour but actually ended up being about 45 minutes. And once we sat down our waiter was super helpful, as it was my first experience at the restaurant and he very much encouraged the specialty queso and chips.

After receiving the homemade, queso blanco, smoked gouda and meat queso, I knew I was in for a good meal. I ordered a burrito with carnitas with the offered rice and black bean sides. As a fair warning, the portions are on the heavy side as I left the restaurant fuller than I have in my entire life.

(Mom, and Dad, if you’re reading this, we will be making a trip here the next time you all are in town!!)

To keep up with SoKno Taco until their next event, like them on Facebook (SoKno Taco Cantina) and follow them on Instagram (@sokno_taco).

Burger Please

A perfect burger is an art form, and I will protest any other meat eater who disagrees. They can be simple and plain or so so extra when you pile on the toppings. Burgers might be a glorified sandwich, but I still think they are a valuable food group that should be praised.

While Knoxville has a plethora of great burger joints, my favorite is Copper Cellar on Cumberland Avenue (AKA the Strip beside the University of Tennessee’s campus that has horrible traffic). The first time I came to Knoxville my mother drug my family to Copper Cellar because she craved a burger the minute our tour was over. My mom, an alumnus of UTK, remembered her days of being a student and attending #BurgerDay. Copper Cellar still holds to this tradition every Wednesday, because nothing can get you through a hump day better than a $5 burger.

While the line can be super long but I promise it is well worth it. My favorite burger is a build your own with bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, mayonnaise, and cheddar cheese. However, there are some honorable mentions to the Kickback burger with jalapenos, pepper jack cheese, and Copper Cellars special kickback sauce.

Hello beautiful 🤤 ❤️ 🍔 #BurgerDay #Vols pic.twitter.com/PniijeEGB0— Copper Cellar (@CopperCellar) November 7, 2018
(view this tweet from Copper Cellar’s twitter, and tell me you mouth doesn’t water)

While burgers are on the menu, there are a lot of other great choices like the BTL sandwich, grilled chicken teriyaki, and the ale pork chop. Another weekly special is the Friday and Saturday night 12-ounce prime rib, served with a potato and additional side for $25. So whether you’re into fine dining or a casual burger, Copper Cellar is sure to have something to satisfy your taste buds.

(The super-high-quality picture up top actually isn’t mine. I got it from Copper Cellars own website https://coppercellar.com/cumberland-copper-cellar/ that you should check out!

Pizza is my Happy Place

Rome was once the largest empire in the world, and I wholeheartedly believe it’s because they had delicious and intoxicating pizza.

My personal favorite has always been a traditional New York Style but honestly put extra cheese on anything, and I will eat it. Now, being a student in a college town, I have eaten my fair share of pizza. The usual order was to Papa Johns using the 50% off after a win code and then making the pie last the whole week.

But after a dinner excursion checking another local joint off our bucket list, with my best friend Ashley, I have found the holy grail.

Even though I ordered a calzone, let me tell you, the smell of pizza hits you in the face the moment you walk into Barley’s Taproom & Pizzeria. With a placemat menu full of specialty pizzas and toppings list to create your own, it would be impossible to not find something you like. Trust me, the table beside us ordered anchovies…

If the pizza wasn’t enough to entice you out to the Old City, the music scene just might pique your interest with a musical guest taking the stage every day at 9 p.m. Every Monday night the University of Tennessee, student radio station WUTK, broadcasts live from the restaurant, with their specialty show Y’alltentative, an American Folk themed show. Every Thursday night at 6 p.m. WDVX presents their show Swerve with new artists each week.

The next perk to this local hot spot is the weekly trivia night with the Knoxville Trivia Guys. If you have a friend that boasts their knowledge you can put them to the test, starting at 8 p.m. every Wednesday night the questions begin!

Barley’s might be tucked in the back corner of the Old City but don’t miss out on this Knoxville gem!