An Oasis…No, The Oasis!

Our route to St. Louis from East Tennessee includes I-40, I-24, I-57 and I-64.  I never eat breakfast before starting our drive as, after a couple of hours with a full belly, I have a tendency to fall asleep at the wheel.  We like to stop for a lunch/driving break sometime between a half and two-thirds of our trip.  Laurie takes over after lunch if I feel groggy.

We have stopped at this restaurant before… This is The Oasis Southwest Grill in Kuttawa Kentucky.  It’s right off of I-24 in the northwestern corner of the state…just a short drive from Paducah.

The inside of The Oasis is fairly standard… It’s clean, warm and inviting but pretty much what one expects in a casual dining restaurant along the highways and byways of the USA.

I ordered the same thing for lunch that I ordered the last time we stopped here.  This is the Oasis Hot Brown. ($6.99) This “light” lunch consists of sliced turkey and ham served on Texas toast, then smothered with southern cream gravy and covered with bacon, tomato and lots of cheese.  I of course sprinkled it with Tabasco… While I would prefer an ‘original’ Hot Brown, this version does qualify as pure comfort food!

The Hot Brown Sandwich is an American hot sandwich originally created at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky in 1926.  It is a variation of traditional Welsh rarebit and was one of two signature sandwiches created by chefs at the Brown Hotel shortly after its founding in 1923.  It was created to serve as an alternative to ham and egg late-night suppers.

This is a photo I 'borrowed' from Wikipedia of a Hot Brown from the Brown Hotel in Louisville.  An ‘official’ Hot Brown is an open-faced sandwich of turkey and bacon, covered in Mornay sauce and baked or broiled until the bread is crisp and the sauce begins to brown.  When the sandwich was originally created, sliced roast turkey was a rarity, as turkey was usually reserved for holiday feasts. 

The original Hot Brown just included sliced turkey on an open-faced white toast sandwich covered with Mornay sauce.  A sprinkling of Parmesan cheese would be added and it was completed by being oven-broiled until bubbly. Pimento and bacon strips were then added to it.

Laurie ordered the Country Fried Steak. ($11.99) They take choice sirloin, bread it and fry it and then top it with country milk gravy.  Entrées come with 2 sides and Laurie chose mashed potatoes and onion rings.  She did enjoy her meal!  I tasted the country fried steak and it was quite good.

The Oasis Southwest Grill offers a large selection of appetizers; steaks ranging from $10.99 up to the 20 oz. Porterhouse at $25.99; pork chops; 7 chicken dishes; fajitas; sandwiches; salads; and seafood including shrimp, tilapia, crab cakes, salmon, catfish and a catch of the day.

This restaurant is a good place to stop when driving along I-24 in Eastern Kentucky.  The food is better than average, prices are reasonable and the location is convenient.  This is one of 3 locations, (plus one under construction), in Kentucky.  The Kuttawa Oasis Southwest Grill is located at Exit 40 of I-24 at 42 Days Inn Drive.  Phone: 270-388-0777.  The company’s Website can be found at:   http://www.theoasissouthwestgrill.com/.  

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave