On Monday we went to Calhoun's in Gatlinburg .
We arrived just after 1:00 PM, so for the most part the lunch rush had past. We were seated right away, service was good, and our meal was out to us in no time. Now, on to what we actually ate. My wife opted for the prime rib quesadilla. She loves to get quesadillas at any and every restaurant we go to, so I was curious to see how this one would stack up to anyone else's. According to her, it definitely didn't disappoint and when we go back, although she might try something different, she'll probably just go right back to it, if she can. It wasn't on the regular menu. It was on a special of the day menu, so she's just hoping it will be available again.
As for myself, I had decided before I even walked in that I was getting their 'world famous ribs'. I had heard too much about them to try anything else. I ordered a half rack of ribs with fries and slaw for the sides. I find slaw to be tricky in restaurants and I usually end up disappointed. With the slaw here at Calhoun's though, that was not the case. It was actually really good. As far as the fries, well, I could have ate a whole plate of those. The main item here is of course the ribs though. Would they live up to my expectations? Absolutely! The meat had a very nice smoked taste as well as being tender. It had just the right amount of sauce on them, which was of course, wonderful as well! I wasn't sure if a half rack would be filling enough, but it was. I walked away from the meal feeling full and satisfied. Ordering a whole rack wouldn't be a bad thing though, as you could always take your leftovers with you. I'm sure they would be just as tasty warmed up the next day. So yeah, I'd definitely recommend the ribs! Just ask for a few extra napkins if you order them and dig in!
On Thursday we went to Cherokee Grill.
We both looked over the menu online before we went so we would have an idea of what we wanted. My wife decided to get the Blue Cheese Sirloin (10 oz. steak, blue cheese crumbles, mushrooms and sundried tomato sauce). Her sides were a baked potato and broccoli. Ordered medium well, the steak was cooked just right and very tender. She loved the flavor that the blue cheese crumbles added. Also, don't overlook the sides. She raved about how good the broccoli was!
She also ordered a glass of water and a 'Spring Fling' to drink with the meal. Another good choice!
I was unsure what I wanted. I had a couple of suggestions fom @gatlinburgnow and @clyde_usa on twitter on what to order. (Please go give them a follow, btw ☺️) @gatlinburgnow suggested the Prosperity steak or pork chops while @clyde_usa suggested the Filet Mignon. After a bit of deliberation I decided on the Filet Mignon. I added on a lobster tail to the order and chose broccoli and the Neva's potatoes as my sides. When everything arrived at our table it all looked perfect. I like the fact that when the steaks arrived our waitress asked us to cut into them to make sure they were cooked just the way we wanted. I ordered my steak medium rare and it was cooked to perfection. It was so juicy and tender that I cut it into smaller bites than I normally would just to savor the taste. After my first bite i then took a bite of the lobster tail. It was just as good. It along with the melted butter was so good I had to go ahead and finish it off before I could get back to my steak. The sides...can't forget about the sides. The broccoli really was wonderful. If you like broccoli as much we do, you could probably eat a plate of it alone. Now, with all that said, strangely enough, the Neva's potatoes might have been the best part of the meal! I mean really, how many times do you go to a restaurant and the sides are truly just as good as the main part of the meal? They were a creamy, melt in your mouth, hashbrown casserole type potato. I could have literally just ate a large bowl of those Neva's potatoes! Needless to say, we were both very pleased with all of our choices for the night. We will definitely be going back! I'd like to say we'll try something different next time, but everything was so good we might just have to stick with exactly what we had...one more time.
Saturday we went over to Smoky Mountain Brewery in Pigeon Forge.
We had visited the one in Gatlinburg before and it was great. We got a margherita pizza on that visit. It was very good!
We thought we would give the SMB in Pigeon Forge a try this time, however. We both wanted to try something different. She ordered the Brewmaster's club salad (ham, roasted chicken, strips of bacon, green peppers, tomatoes, onions, black olives, banana peppers, and cheddar cheese). Sound good? Just look at the picture! It was!
I ordered what is a popular item there, a single order of the Original WET Wings (breaded in seasoned flower, fried crisp, and tossed in their Sweet & Spicy Thunder Road Sauce). They were fried to the perfect crispness and had just the right amount of sauce on them. The flavor was just the right amount of spicy and sweetness. I was glad our waitress had brought me several wet wipes, because the way I tore into the wings, I needed them. 😋 With the wings, I ordered a Black Bear Ale on draft. When we went to the SMB in Gatlinburg, I had ordered a sample of several different brews, and the Black Bear Ale was my favorite.
What I really loved about the place though was the atmosphere! There was a college football game on between Georgia and Auburn. I'm not a fan of either team or dislike either team. There were, however, a lot a fans for both teams in the restaurant as the game was going on. The restaurant had such an electric feel to it. There were cheers and boos with what seemed to be every play of the game. Adults and children alike were all having a wonderful time with their friends and family watching the game and having some good eats. I'd love to be there when a Tennessee Vols game was on or perhaps even an NFL Tennessee Titans game! So, not only would I recommend going to SMB for the food in Pigeon Forge, but I'd also recommend going just for the lively atmosphere.
Now, with all that said about our visit to Calhoun's, Cherokee Grill, and Smoky Mountain Brewery.....there was one unfortunate thing to report. Not ONCE did we save room for dessert! That's just inexcusable! Now we will have to go back to all three places, order our meals, and be sure to save room for dessert next time!
I'd highly recommend going to all three restaurants and giving them a try! If you make it there before we have a chance to go back, be sure to try a dessert and let me know how it is!
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