Restaurants? (Knoxville, Cookeville: house, neighborhoods, subdivisions)

[JMT]

OK since there are a bunch of people here from all over the place, and since I love good food, I have a question for you. What regional restaurant chains from your homes do you wish we had in Tennessee? For example, akm4 mentioned In and Out Burgers from California. And when I go visit my sister in Oklahoma, I have to go to Braum's Ice Cream.

Or what foods do you wish we had in Tennessee? I miss a real Cuban sandwich on real Cuban bread from Tampa or, even better, deviled crabs that I've seen only in Tampa. Oh my gosh it would almost (ALMOST) be worth living back in Florida just for the Cuban sandwiches and deviled crabs.

[CAtoGA]

I'm in CA, planning on moving to TN next year. I would LOVE to have In-n-Out! Also, CiCi's Pizza, which I know is in Texas, but not sure if it's anywhere else. I think that's it, though. We don't eat out a lot, so I won't miss too much.

[Brax]

Chili's, Red Lobster and Texas Road house are my favorite of the chains.

Are there any good Rib places around Cookeville?

[firepower]

Originally Posted by CAtoGA

I'm in CA, planning on moving to TN next year. I would LOVE to have In-n-Out! Also, CiCi's Pizza, which I know is in Texas, but not sure if it's anywhere else. I think that's it, though. We don't eat out a lot, so I won't miss too much.

We have a CiCi's in Cookeville,TN.I assume they're all over the southeast by now so you're in luck with that one...



firepower

[hiknapster]

Hi guys!

We have Cici's, Texas Roadhouse, Chili's and Red Lobster.

I miss New England seafood. I would die for a clam fritter. I have tried to replicate the recipe. I even had a few from Yankee Magazine that I stumbled across a few years ago in Florida. I'm a great cook, but I can't do it. Don't know why.

I'd also love some good fish and chips, and a sub (where I come from they call them grinders) that is stuffed with good stuff. I hate Subway. Great bread but they are chintzy.

I hate chains. I would love to only shop and eat at Mom and Pop establishments. I hate big box stores and subdivisions, too. (Have I mentioned that before?)

I long to get away from a plastic life and go back to real neighborhoods.

Oh, and I haven't tried Regas restaurant, but I should go soon. Maybe this Sunday? I can check out JMT's neighborhood on the way!

[BNB]

I'm going to miss authentic mexican food...I have heard that it just is not the same...

[heatwave13]

I also wish we had Cuban sandwiches and one of my favorite meals.....rice and tomato gravy (I make it myself in the kitchen). Another thing I love, but cannot seem to find here is coastal North Carolina vinegar based barbeque sauce........it rules!!!!

[hiknapster]

Where are you going?

My husband claims he has found authentic Mexican food in Knoxville. Leave it to him. He use to frequent this place in Bonita Springs, FL that made homemade tamales and he says theirs are just as good. My husband lives for authentic Mexican.

[JMT]

Originally Posted by Brax

Chili's, Red Lobster and Texas Road house are my favorite of the chains.

Are there any good Rib places around Cookeville?

Cookeville has Chili's and Red Lobster, there's no Texas Road House but there is a Logan's Road House.

And for ribs, you are in luck! Bobby Q's on North Washington has f-a-b-u-l-o-u-s bbq, both the chopped kind and the ribs. It's been written up in some magazine (Lady's Home Journal? something like that) for its bbq, its lemonade, and its banana pudding. I never knew I liked banana pudding until I had some at Bobby Q's.

[akm4]

I miss the handmade tamales this woman would make and sell from her house, I miss fresh crab and sourdough on the wharf, I miss avocadoes for less than $1.99 each, I miss the chai shakes my friend Kim made at her coffee roastery. Like Hiknapster, it's the non-chain stuff that gets me. Well, that and Gallo salami....