11:52 am Eating Out: Fatz menu offers variety to please any taste
I took a friend to dinner on a recent Saturday evening to Fatz in Elizabethton.
The regional chain opened for business in 1988 as a restaurant located in a renovated peach shed in Spartanburg, S.C. Today, the chain operates about 49 restaurants in the Carolinas, Georgia and Virginia as well as Tennessee.
The Elizabethton restaurant was only the third location of this chain eatery in the Volunteer State when it opened for business in 2006. The other two locations at that time were in Greeneville and Bristol. Since that time, Fatz has opened locations in Kingsport and, most recently, in Johnson City, concentrating the chain’s Tennessee expansion to date in the northeast corner of the state. There are also Fatz locations in Asheville and Hendersonville in North Carolina.
During my most recent visit, we were promptly escorted to a comfortable booth and provided with the restaurant’s menu. While we looked over the items listed on the menu, the server took our drink orders and quickly provided a basket of the eatery’s trademark poppyseed scones with cinnamon-butter. These hot rolls, spread with the fragrant butter, tasted wonderful.
The restaurant’s dining area features an assortment of comfortable booths and tables. The walls are decorated with framed photographs depicting everything from local sports teams to historic landmarks and nostalgic scenes. I found the art a nice touch, as it’s a great way to promote the local area and bring a touch of community spirit to the restaurant’s atmosphere. Some additional decorative touches included some seasonal displays of corn, pumpkins and other harvest-themed items.
We started the meal with a shared appetizer. The menu offers a plentiful assortment of meal-starters, from the traditional Cheese Fries and Chicken Wings to the innovative Chicken and Spinach Flatbread Pizza and the Cajun Firecracker Sticks. Other appetizers include Fried Green Tomatoes, Colossal Wing Sampler and Carolina Crab Cakes.
We decided to share an order of the Honey BBQ Chicken Nachos. This fun appetizer is given some visual appeal with an assortment of crispy tri-colored tortilla chips topped with Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheese, black beans and the eatery’s World Famous Calabash Chicken tossed in honey barbecue sauce and garnished with fresh cilantro. These ingredients worked well together for a great platter of tasty nachos. Although perhaps an ambitious appetizer for two diners, the Honey BBQ Chicken Nachos would be great for sharing among the hungry members of a small dining party.
We next contemplated the varied entree items, which included chicken, beef and seafood items, as well as ribs, pasta, burgers, sandwiches, signature salads and soups. Some of the entrees that vied for my attention included the World Famous Calabash Chicken, Baja Chicken Pasta, Edisto Shrimp and Grits, Big Easy Shrimp and Fish Fry and Babyback Ribs.
I eventually decided to sample one of the combination platters and ordered the TC’s Hard Cider Sampler, which consisted of a six-ounce sirloin marinated in a house-made hard cider blend. The steak is complemented by some World Famous Calabash Chicken and Golden Fried Shrimp. This meal is accompanied by your choice of a signature side item and a bowl of soup or side salad.
I paired my meal with the Stone-ground Cheese Grits and a bowl of Loaded Baked Potato Soup. My soup arrived between the serving of the appetizer and the entree, so I had time to enjoy this hearty, rich soup at my leisure. The soup consists of chunks of baked potatoes in a savory stock, all topped with a blend of cheeses, crumbled applewood smoked bacon and snippets of fresh scallions.
My dinner companion ordered the Parmesan Encrusted Chicken Pasta. He also added a Side House Salad to his meal.
I enjoyed my meal, especially the sirloin, which was prepared medium as requested. I also enjoyed the crispy chicken tenders and the battered golden-fried shrimp. Containers of honey mustard and cocktail sauce were provided for the chicken and shrimp.
My dining companion enjoyed the Parmesan Encrusted Chicken Pasta, which consisted of marinated chicken encrusted with a mixture of grated Parmesan cheese and crunchy panko breadcrumbs set atop creamy penne pasta, garnished with lemon butter sauce, fresh broccoli and diced tomatoes. The ingredients tasted fresh, although we both agreed that the sauce was a bit bland for this otherwise promising pasta dish.
For dessert, the menu offered a Double Fudge Brownie, Carolina Peach Cobbler, Peanut Butter Milkshake Pie, and Strawberries and Cheesecake. The menu also listed “Ice Box Shooters,” which consist of four bite-sized tiny treats made with a Graham cracker crust respectively layered with Strawberry, Raspberry, Key Lime and Chocolate mousse. A single “Shooter” is available for a modest price and all four flavors can be ordered for not much more in cost.
I could not resist the temptation of the Peanut Butter Milkshake Pie. This dessert is built upon a crisp Oreo cookie crust and topped with drizzling of decadent chocolate sauce, chopped mixed nuts and an Oreo chocolate straw that provides the finishing touch. Dreamily creamy and with a rich nutty flavor as well, this dessert proved fantastic to the last bite.
For diners on a budget, the restaurant also offers an extensive selection of lunch favorites at lower prices. The restaurant offers a special discounted menu for guests 50 years of age and up on Tuesdays. Classic Tuesday is available at all FATZ restaurant locations from 3 to 10 p.m. every Tuesday.
In addition, every Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Fatz offers Sunday Homestyle Special for $10.99. These meals consist of such downhome favorites as Country Fried Steak, Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Pot Roast and Turkey and Gravy.
Diners who want delicious food delivered with attentive and personable service and at a price that doesn’t put too big a dent in the budget might do well to pay a visit to Fatz Cafe in Elizabethton. Let them know they were recommended.
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AT A GLANCE: Fatz Cafe, 980 Over Mountain Drive, Elizabethton. 547-0001. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; and Sunday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Entrees range from $6.99-$17.99. Credit cards accepted. Carryout available. Full service bar available.
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