Dining Out in Etowah Tennessee

A couple of weeks ago, we drove over to Etowah Tennessee for an auction.  Since the auction started at 6 PM and the viewing time for the items being auctioned off was in early afternoon, Laurie and I decided to view the sale items first, and then go out for dinner before the auction. 

We’d driven by Michael's restaurant many times in the past couple of years… It sits on the west side of the highway at the end of a small strip center.  We’d heard that it was upscale as compared with the other offerings in Etowah and that it was well regarded.  So, we gave Michael’s a try…

Laurie went with pasta for dinner and she ordered this side Caesar Salad to accompany her dinner.  The ingredients were fresh, the Caesar dressing was good and she gave the salad a ‘thumbs-up’ rating. ($3.10)

My entrée came with a side salad and I ordered a House Salad with creamy mustard dressing.  One thing was for sure, I didn’t need to order any extra salad dressing!  The ingredients were fresh and the salad was just fine…about what you would expect. 

Laurie’s pasta entrée was the Carbonara...Fettuccini noodles layered with flavors of pancetta bacon, sweet onions and a Parmesan cream sauce. ($8.99) It was a rich meal and there was a lot of food…she did take a good portion home with us. 

Dare I say it?!  Laurie said that her Fettuccini Carbonara from Michael’s was more flavorful than the one she’s had at Willie’s, which is our favorite Italian restaurant! 

I can’t say the same for my entrée… I ordered the Dinner Special, Chicken Parmesan. ($10.95 with my side salad) Don’t get me wrong, there was nothing wrong with this entree…I didn’t leave any behind…and certainly there was plenty to eat!  My only issue was that, at least in my opinion, the sauce was too thin and it lacked any ‘pow’ factor…just a bit too bland for my taste. 

This is an interior photo that Laurie took from the front door… Michael’s is a large and roomy restaurant.  Business was good during our visit.  The open kitchen is nice to see as we’ve always thought that it encourages cleanliness.  Service was solid…no issues.

When we are in the Etowah area, we will return for dinner.  Michael’s touts its BBQ Specials…from sandwiches to platters.  We’ll have to give it a try. Ribs are smoked for 18 hours or more.  In the BBQ arena they also offer pulled pork, beef brisket, chicken, a New York strip and prime rib. (You don’t see smoked ribeye loin on menus very often!)     

Michael’s of Etowah is located at 862 Highway 411 North in Etowah Tennessee.  There is no website.  For more information, call 423-263-2603