A Casual Dinner with Friends

Our friends Norm and Linda let us know that they were ready to go out and have dinner with us somewhere.  They picked the day but it was our turn to pick a restaurant…

It turned out that Norm and Linda had never been to Pero’s on the Hill on Northshore Drive in Knoxville Tennessee.  We were surprised because we rarely identify any restaurants that they haven’t already experienced.

Basically, Pero’s menu ranges from Italian to Greek but it isn’t limited to those cuisines either.  The menu features shrimp and grits, crab cakes, chicken wings, burgers, a wide mix of sandwiches and wraps, salads, pasta, pizza and assorted entrees.  

Note: The above photo was taken during the summer of 2015.  It's not that green here yet!

The interior of Pero’s on the Hill is spacious…with a front dining area near the pizza oven and an even bigger area in the back by the bar.  There is also a patio in the back for warmer weather dining.  This is a very casual family friendly place that can handle a lot of customers at one time…

Laurie and I love garlic!  So we asked our waitress if the tzatziki sauce had much garlic in it.  She told us ‘Not Really’.  Bummer…but then she asked us if we’d like more garlic added!  Yes indeed!  So we ordered it and then we gorged on vegetables and pita wedges slathered with nice (Chicago style) garlicy tzatziki sauce… (Normally $8.10 but Monday – Thursday, appetizers are half price!)

This was another appetizer.  It’s the Triopita. ($7.85/half price for early diners!) These are baked parcels of phyllo pastry with a filling of feta and other cheeses.  This is a very tasty way to start a meal!

Somehow, I missed taking a photo of our favorite Pero’s appetizer.  That was the Fried Ravioli. ($7.10/$3.55 early dining!) Laurie is from St. Louis and we met there.  St. Louis is the home…the place where fried ravioli was created…and they could take a lesson from Pero’s version of this appetizer!  It is just excellent!

Now for the entrees… This was the Veal Parmesan. ($13.65) A nice piece of prime veal is hand breaded and topped with melted mozzarella cheese and Pero’s terrific meat sauce with a side of spaghetti.  Very nice indeed!

This was Linda’s entrée.  It’s the Shrimp Alfredo…fettuccine noodles tossed in a homemade Alfredo sauce with sautéed shrimp. ($13.50) Linda was very happy with her choice.

Norm has been avoiding ‘white’ in his diet.  No potatoes, rice or bread… So he ordered the Souvlaki Plate with marinated grilled pork tenderloin on a skewer. ($13.35) It’s normally served with warm pita bread and tzatziki sauce in addition to the tomato and lettuce.  In keeping with his dietary goals, he ordered the sautéed seasonal vegetables instead.  It was the perfect meal for him…

Since I’d pigged out on the appetizers, I tried to go ‘healthy’ with my entrée.  This was my Parmesan Crusted Tilapia. ($13.15) The 2 hand breaded tilapia filets were served over a bed of orzo.  For my side, I opted for the sautéed spinach.  I really liked the tilapia and the spinach was actually nicely seasoned and very tasty too.

We were all very pleased with our dining experience.  Laurie and I already have plans to return to Pero’s on the Hill!  The service is competent and the food is very satisfying with lots of options available.  One key is that early diner/happy hour period from Monday – Thursday.  Not only are appetizers half price, but the drinks are discounted too!  My Miller Lite was $2.00 and Laurie’s vodka tonic tall with two limes was only $3.25. (That was a $14.00 savings with tax from my bill!)

There are 2 Pero’s locations.  The other location is in the Powell area of Knoxville at 7535 Conner Road.  Pero’s on the Hill is at 7706 South Northshore in Knoxville Tennessee.  Phone: 865-694-6900.  Pero’s website is at http://www.perosonthehill.com/.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by to see what was for dinner!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave