Yet Again…Another Mexican Restaurant!

Well, considering that I’ve never been crazy about Mexican Restaurants, I sure have eaten at a lot of them here in East Tennessee in the past year or so...and my attitude about the genre has improved.  There was Lorenzo’s in Loudon, (http://bigdaddydavesbitsandpieces.blogspot.com/2012/10/a-mexican-restaurant-with-very-loyal.html); then there was Cinco Amigos in Lenoir City, (http://bigdaddydavesbitsandpieces.blogspot.com/2012/09/a-little-mexican-cuisine.html); before that there was another local joint that I didn’t bother to blog about in Lenoir City; and there was Ayala’s also in Lenoir City, (No Longer in Business); and even before that there was Cielito Lindo in Vonore. http://bigdaddydavesbitsandpieces.blogspot.com/2011/11/mexican-grill-east-tennessee.html).

So…let’s throw one more Mexican restaurant into the mix and see just how it shakes out in comparison with the others…

 

It seems that everyone has a favorite Mexican restaurant.  A couple of friends had eaten at the Monterrey Mexican Restaurant in Lenoir City.  Lenoir City seems to be Mexican cuisine central!  This restaurant is located across the parking lot from the local Walmart and it faces away from Highway 321.

From what I’ve been able to ascertain, this restaurant is part of a larger (70+) chain of franchised Mexican restaurants with varying menus and prices.  The name of the restaurant plus the sombrero and serape symbol to the left of the door, are identical to the name and image used by that chain…although this location isn’t listed on the company’s website.  Weird!!

 

The interior seemed a little sparse despite the color and decorative items on the walls but it was spacious and clean…despite being a little worn looking.  Laurie caught this photo of Dawn and I looking over the menu… Of course, the waiter started us out with warm tortilla chips and some good salsa!

 

 

One of our favorites in Mexican restaurants is the Queso Fundido with Chorizo, (Chori/Queso) I thought that it was just right!  It was spicy enough for all of us and it was loaded with chorizo.   Laurie thought it was good but Dawn Marie said that she really likes Lorenzo’s version better…

I would normally quote the prices but I didn’t end up with a detailed sales slip and the restaurant had run out of their ‘to go’ menus.

 

Laurie’s dinner selection, the Paradise Quesadilla consisted of a grilled flour tortilla filled with chicken, onion and mushrooms…just a great combination!  It was accompanied with guacamole, salsa, sour cream and rice.  She wasn’t too hungry so this meal was the perfect size for her.  Laurie said that her entrée was excellent… She’d order it again and again!

 

 

My entrée consisted of 3 burritos filled with spicy chicken and covered with a terrific green chili sauce.  I was a happy camper!  This was one of my favorite Mexican dishes to date and I’ll order it again on my next visit to Lenoir City’s Monterrey Mexican Restaurant.  The combination of flavors was a true winner!  I’m sorry that I can remember what this dish was called…

 

 

Dawn Marie ordered something a bit off the menu.  She started with a chicken and cheese dish with a side of rice… But, she had the restaurant leave off the other sides and then she had them add chorizo sausage to the mix.  They were very generous with the chorizo.  She really liked it…and I can testify that this was one was very good indeed…a carnivore’s delight!

OK…on the downside our waiter struggled with English and was totally confused when asked for soda water…such as from the soda dispensing machine…and then he got rattled.  His replacement or substitute was not exactly warm and friendly.  Service was better though… Still, the food was very good…and we will return! (Hopefully, the next time I’ll be able to pick up a menu!

Monterrey Mexican Restaurant is located at 875 US Highway 321 in Lenoir City Tennessee.  Phone: 865-988-1728.  Assuming that this restaurant is part of the larger chain, the website can be found at http://eatmonterreys.com/.

Just click on any of the photos if you’d like to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

A Special Breakfast!

Leftovers… Always a challenge, always an opportunity!  What’s lying around in the refrigerator that needs to be eaten or thrown out?  Will an egg or eggs ‘work’ with this specific leftover or am I just fanaticizing? 

When David II, Amy and our grandsons, David III and Emmett Lee visited us post- Christmas, we all went out to eat a couple of times.  The last meal that we ate out was at a Pan-Asian restaurant in Knoxville named Wok Chow. (More about this restaurant in a future blog…) In any case, Amy couldn’t finish her lunch and she ended up bringing home a whole take out container chock full of promising breakfast opportunity!  

 

So…This breakfast construction project consisted of re-fried Shrimp Fried Rice with added garlic, onion powder and pepper, topped with 2 slices of pepper jack cheese and three easy-over eggs!

I liked the concept better than the final results… Believe it or not, despite the Shrimp Fried Rice with Asian spices, the pepper jack cheese and the 3 eggs, I ended up adding Tabasco Sauce just to give it a bit of ‘pop’.  This breakfast was OK…but it still missed the high expectations that I’d hoped out for!

Note: Want to see a cute family movie?  During the post-holiday visit, we all went to the theater to see Parental Guidance with Billy Crystal, Bette Midler and Marisa Tomei.  It was very entertaining… Even our 9 and 12 year old grandsons enjoyed this movie! 

Just click on the photo if you’d like to enlarge it…

Thanks for stopping by for breakfast!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Our Christmas Finale!

Another Christmas Season is over, but our Christmas celebration ran a bit longer this year than it has in the past… We were scheduled for a post-Christmas family gathering at our home!

 

Here in East Tennessee we even tried to have snow for the occasion!  But, this snow fall actually happened a few days prior to the January 3^rd arrival of our Ohio family contingent.  

See our Incredible Family below…

 

Left to right: David III, Emmett Lee and our son, David II…and of course…

 

 

here's Amy...!  She has a big job just keeping tabs on her 'incredible' brood.

But, much to our surprise, they showed up at our house in disguise, dressed like normal human beings…incognito as they say!

 

They were a bit tired as well after their trek from the far north.  In this photo Nana aka Laurie, is trying to keep the group awake so they can pose for their photo.  You might be wondering what David III has on his head!  He almost gave away the family’s secret identity by wearing his intergalactic communications head gear…

But wait!!  Where is Emmett Lee?!

 

We should have known!!  He’s taken over Nana’s computer so he can track down the forces of evil!  Or perhaps, this 9 year old is really working on one of his several blog sites…his code name is “Epic Sauce”…

 

 

Yes…David III and Emmett Lee really did get more Christmas presents…games, movies and books, plus a little cash...a couple of happy campers!

Note the small stocking hanging from the mantle.  That felt stocking was made for yours truly by his Mommy round about 1948 or 1949.  Tradition lives!

 

Ahhh…the perfect family photo of today’s 'electronic' family!  However, it’s really not as detached or impersonal as it might appear to us old folks.  They regularly play interactive video games…especially word games…with each other as well as with other family members.  They also compete with each other in Fantasy Football.

In contrast with their electronic connectivity, I was able to stun David and Amy with the fact that I actually still write checks and mail them…you know…using ‘postage’ stamps…to pay some of my monthly bills…!  I’m also resistant to reading books on a computer or similar electronic device…

 

This is the dinner table as set for our family Christmas dinner.  It wasn’t a very typical meal either…as Laurie and I…as well as David, Amy and our grandsons…had already experienced plenty of traditional Christmas food back in December!

For this festive meal, we had salad, fruit, and some good bread as well as the main course of penne pasta, meat sauce and meat balls.  Of course, Laurie had also baked some sugar cookies for dessert.

 



We capped off the visit with a rousing dice game!  Everyone scrambles to roll their dice until someone’s dice all match the number that was called out.  It’s a very fast game with lots of interaction!  We also played a game called “Truth be Told” which Nana/Laurie won.  I finished dead last!

It was a great visit…a very nice family Christmas…and a great way to start 2013!

I hope that everyone out there had a terrific Christmas/Holiday Season and I’m wishing everyone a Healthy, Happy and Prosperous New Year!

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by and sharing time with our family!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave 

A New Restaurant…in Maryville, TN

Laurie and I were out and about quite a bit in the last 3 or 4 weeks before Christmas.  There were presents to buy, a movie or two to attend, errands to run, etc., etc… It was about mid-afternoon and we hadn’t had lunch yet.  We’d noticed a couple of new restaurants on US 411 on the south side/or just south of Maryville. 

We decided to try the restaurant that looked least like just another location in a big chain of restaurants!  This new adventure occupied a building that had formerly been utilized as the “411 Restaurant”. 

Moving right along...  Our immediate objective was an early dinner…and my personal goal, as usual, was to find a local restaurant that actually provided that little something extra…and at a reasonable price…

 

Looks like a local restaurant, doesn’t it!  This is O’Bravos Grill House.  The former “411 Restaurant” at this location was pretty much a breakfast/lunch diner style restaurant.

 

 

The sign outlines what we might expect of the restaurant…lunch and dinner…no breakfast.  The selections on O'Bravos' menu were broken down just as indicated on the sign.  In addition, a selection of appetizers, salads and soups are available.

 

 

As might be expected, there were only 2 other tables that were occupied in O’Bravos during our mid-afternoon meal.  The interior décor is pretty straight-forward and the dining area was clean.  As might be expected, with so few customers, our service was efficient and friendly.

So…what about the food?

 

Our dinners came with this nice salad.  I went with a combo dressing choice…bleu cheese and French.  The salad was large, with a couple types of cheese, bacon bits, a couple different types of lettuce and some tomato.  The salad was a solid start for our meal…

We skipped the appetizers…such as wings, cheese balls, nachos, spinach and artichoke dip and a sampler. ($4.35 - $9.99)  There were also 3 dinner salads on the menu ranging in price from $6.45 to $8.50.

 

Laurie went with the Fish and Chips…a Tilapia Filet marinated in soy and English sauce, in a coconut breading and drizzled with a tamarind dressing. ($10.25) Laurie loved it!  I tasted it and I thought that it was very good indeed.  The drizzled tamarind dressing was the key… 

Other seafood offerings included salmon and shrimp, with nothing more expensive than $11.99.  There were 6 chicken selections on the menu ranging from $8.75 to only $9.99.  

 

I rarely order steak at restaurants.   It’s just too easy for us to pick up really good rib eye steaks at Benton’s down near Madisonville.  However, I decided that the price was very reasonable and steaks were was one of the key menu items offered at O’Bravos. 

The presentation of my T-bone steak was very appetizing… The grilled tomatoes and asparagus were almost perfect.  However…sadly, the steak itself was a non-starter!  I don’t know what spices had been used with the meat…but they didn’t work for me. (Laurie thought that the flavor was alright…) I’d ordered the steak medium rare.  It wasn’t that thick but under the char the meat was deep red…not bloody red like a piece of rare meat…but dark red like a piece of rare meat that had been broiled from a frozen state.  I could have had sent it back to have it cooked a bit more…but, since I didn’t care for the flavor of the steak, I didn’t bother.

 

We shared an order of French fries…and they were OK.

 

 

My side dish was this bowl of steamed vegetables.  I like vegetables but it’s important that they’re cooked properly.  They can’t be hard and they should never be mushy…These veggies were steamed perfectly…just the way I like them!

The other major segment of the menu was pasta… There is Spaghetti at only $5.25; Fettuccine Alfredo at $7.99, (with grilled chicken or shrimp…$9.99 - $11.99); Linguini with shrimp at $10.99 and; a Spaghetti creation with shrimp, black olives, olive oil and white wine at $10.75.

While I haven’t completely written off O’Bravos, my experience with that T-bone steak has negatively biased my view of this establishment.  Laurie’s entrée and my nice veggies left me with a bit of hope… The next visit will probably involve Fettuccine Alfredo with chicken or shrimp…

O’Bravos Grill House is at 2635 US Highway 411 S in Maryville Tennessee.  Phone: 865-233-7091.  I couldn’t locate any reviews or websites for this restaurant.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

 

Fast, Fresh and ‘Flavorable’!

Well…I must admit that after the Holiday’s it’s time to talk about food that’s healthier, lighter, yet still packed with flavor.  Before Christmas Laurie and I were out shopping and running errands and, at lunchtime, we decided to try a new restaurant in Farragut Tennessee…

 

This is Zoe’s Kitchen in the Turkey Creek Shopping area of Knoxville Tennessee.  This new restaurant is part of a restaurant chain that has 76 locations in 12 states.  The 12 states include Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia, Maryland, and of course, Tennessee.

 

 

At Zoe’s, you order at the counter and then they prepare the food and then bring it to you at your table. 

As a bit of a preamble when you check out thier website, Zoe’s states that their offerings are “original recipes…with simple and fresh from the garden sensibilities.  All offerings are made from scratch on a daily basis.

 

It seems to be the trend these days…many upscale ‘fast food’ restaurants have that stark, almost industrial look…and Zoe’s is no exception.  FYI…Zoe mean ‘life’ in Greek.  This is ‘Mediterranean inspired comfort food’, with a healthy diet in mind…nothing fried!  Gluten free and vegetarian options are available…

 

 

Keeping it simple, I went with a sandwich from the Classic Sandwich listing.  This is the Turkey Sandwich and it was made from sliced whole turkey breast, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise on toasted 7-grain bread.  It was accompanied by a side of Pasta Salad…pasta, tomato, basil and feta cheese with no mayo. ($7.09 for the sandwich and side)

 

 

Laurie went for the Pimento Cheese Sandwich and the same side that I’d ordered, the Pasta Salad. ($7.09) She also had her sandwich grilled or toasted.  Score another winner for Zoe’s Kitchen!

The menu at Zoe’s Kitchen is fairly extensive.  In addition to the “Classic Sandwiches”, there are soups, salads, hummus, pita sandwiches, grilled sandwiches, chips, the fresh sides, complete entrees and a kid’s menu. 

 

We didn’t order this hunk of Yaya’s Hand-Made Chocolate Cake. ($2.19) Service was more than friendly and helpful.  You can pretty much tell them just what you want on your sandwich and they’ll make it as ordered. 

The Manager gave us this piece of cake to take with us free of charge.  He told us that it was because we were first time customers…but it may have been a bit related to our photo taking and the fact that I was writing a blog.  In any case, it was a very nice moist and ‘chocolaty’ piece of cake.

 

As the current popular saying goes, Zoe’s Kitchen Greek Dressing is the “bomb”!  I put a little in my pasta salad and a bit more on my turkey sandwich… It added just the right amount of ‘tang’ or flavor to my already fresh and tasty meal… This is just an excellent dressing!  I’m surprised that it’s not shown on the menu as an item for sales…especially considering the take home ‘Dinners for Four’, ($26.99 - $39.99), and the ‘Take Home Tubs’…by the half-pint, pint or quart. 

The website for Zoe’s also includes an on-line catering menu which ranges in part from Box Lunches to Party Trays and Fresh Grilled Feasts.  The options are quite extensive.

The Zoe’s Kitchen in the Turkey Creek Shopping Area is located at 11378 Parkside Drive in Knoxville.  Phone: 865-671-1940.  The Zoe’s Kitchen website is at www.zoeskitchen.com.  Note: The menus on the website are location specific and they do not list prices. 

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by for a relatively healthy lunch!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

A Neighborhood Feast on Christmas Day!

Well, after a big late afternoon dinner on Christmas Eve, we were very thankful that our friends Karen and Charlie weren’t staging their celebratory feast until late on Christmas Day.  The plan was to arrive at 4:30 PM…work through a glass of wine, champange punch or beer, along with some appetizers/snacks…and then have dinner at 6:30 PM.  Counting Laurie, Dawn Marie and myself, they were expecting 14 for dinner!

Appetizers included sausage, cheese and crackers, nuts, veggies and dill dip, stuffed mushroom caps and deviled eggs.

 

Fourteen for dinner required 2 tables and a buffet style arrangement for serving the featured feast… After forming a circle to give grace, we had homemade bread, rolls, turkey, spiral cut ham, candied sweet potatoes, stuffing, cheesy scalloped potatoes, some fancy green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, deviled eggs and ambrosia salad.  No one went away hungry, that’s for sure!

You might have noticed the bottle of Tabasco on the table… I ‘only’ used it on the turkey, the cheesy scalloped potatoes, the deviled eggs and the stuffing!

 

Then there was dessert… We’d furnished the cheesy scalloped potatoes and the deviled eggs…and Dawn Marie had baked these 2 beautiful pecan pies on Christmas morning!  Unfortunately, we didn’t take a photo of the other big dessert…Martha’s famous flan! 

 

 

This is Martha, Irv and their daughter Lauren.  Note the cookies on the table as well as the little boxes of mints and candy at each place setting.  Karen and Charlie really did a great job of decorating and making this a truly festive occasion!

 

 

This is Joel and Holly with their son Justin…

 

 

At our table, from the left we have Dawn Marie, Laurie, our host Charlie, Beverly and her husband, Don.

 

 

Neither Laurie nor I captured a photo of our hostess Karen at the dinner table… Here are Martha and Karen right after dinner in the kitchen.  Karen went all out for this Christmas dinner!  One guest escaped capture via our photos by leaving right after dinner…

 

 

There were 2 others at Karen and Charlie’s house on Christmas Day…but they were locked up until dinner was over.  Ali Cat’s photo didn’t really come out but this is Junior…and after being told ‘No!’ and being pushed off the table several times, we just gave up and he became a living centerpiece…  He even looks like he enjoys…no, he expects to be the center of attention!

Karen and Charlie…Many Thanks and A Great Time Was Had By All!!

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by and sharing Christmas dinner with us and our friends!

HAVE A HAPPY, HEALTHY AND PROSPEROUS NEW YEAR!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave, Laurie and J.D.

Christmas Eve Dinner – Life is Good!

Ever since we retired and moved down to East Tennessee from Chicago, life has indeed been good!  We are very lucky indeed…lucky to have a great family and to have great friends.  As for retirement and our home here in ‘paradise’, we earned it!

Christmas Eve 2012… What to have for dinner?  We knew that Dawn Marie was coming in to stay with us for a week and we know that she is a true carnivore.  We also knew that we’d like to invite a couple of friends over for a late afternoon Christmas Eve feast…

 

So we invited Bev and Larry over for dinner.  This is Larry’s favorite seat at our house…and he enjoys it because he can watch Laurie do her dervish routine…cooking and cleaning up at the same time!  He's amazed by this!  By the time we're through with dinner, all that’s left to do is to load the glasses, plates and silverware into the dishwasher and turn it on…

Larry is a true foodie and a blogger… He can make a meal, especially a breakfast, out of just about anything left over in his refrigerator.  Larry’s blog site is found at http://bigdudesramblings.blogspot.com/.   

 

As mentioned earlier, Dawn Marie flew in to stay with us for a week.  She’d arrived from New York a little after 2 AM on the Saturday before Christmas.  Dawn had been within 2 minutes of her flight being canceled in New York due to FAA ‘time out’ rules… The plane was able to back away from the gate at literally the very last moment!  Now she is able to enjoy a few days of  ‘chill time' before heading back to Miami and the pressures of her role as a retail consultant! 

 

 

Remember…I did use the word carnivore didn’t I?!  How about this great looking hunk of prime rib!  Tender and delicious it was…!  I still have a couple of left-over ribs to gnaw on. (This was a great piece of meat…purchased at a very reasonable price from The Fresh Market)

 

 

For once, I took the photo and for once, Laurie is actually in the picture! (Left to right: Laurie, Dawn Marie, Bev and Larry)

The table was laden with food…wine, prime rib, roasted potatoes, the best yeast rolls in the world as baked by Bev, a terrific salad…also by Bev, and some yummy horseradish cream sauce by Dawn.  A bit later, it was Apple Crisp with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream… Life is indeed excellent!

It isn’t all about us though… Laurie and I sent a significant contribution to the East Tennessee Food Bank and Dawn Marie bought out the last bunch of pre-packaged food cartons for the needy at our local supermarket.  We’re hoping that we helped a few other folks have an enjoyable Christmas as well.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by and sharing a bit of your time with us during this Holiday Season…

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave