White Elephant a welcome gift for Elizabethton diners

 

Photo by Bryan Stevens
The Italian Sub at White Elephant Fresh Market in Elizabethton.

It’s time to talk about the elephant in the room when it comes to downtown dining in Betsy.

With a winning combination of fresh-made sandwiches and good-to-the-last-spoonful soups, The White Elephant Fresh Market in downtown Elizabethton has been winning over diners since its opening last November.

The White Elephant is a partnership between co-owners Michael Henley and Erik Kitchens. They’ve created a wonderful addition to the downtown Elizabethton dining scene with a creative menu of hearty sandwiches, sensational soups and, now on Saturdays during the Carter County Car Club’s weekly Cruise-in, a variety of tempting hot dogs.

I’ve enjoyed a handful of visits since this eatery’s opening, and my most recent one has reminded me that I need to frequent this eatery more often.

“We’re still building up our clientele,” Henley said, noting that business has been good since opening back in November of last year.

The White Elephant has been offering a menu of hot dogs targeted for Saturday’s downtown Cruise-In, which brings a lot of traffic and potential customers to Elk Avenue.

The all-beef dogs are all-natural and nitrate-free. They include the Volcano, which is smothered in the White Elephant’s homemade Pimento Cheese, and the Gut Grenade, which includes such trimmings as chili, kraut, onions, mustard and more of that Pimento Cheese. There’s also a Naked Dog, which is just plain, as well as the Sir Slaws Alot, a dog piled high with White Elephant’s wonderfully tangy Blue Cheese Slaw.

Through the week, the White Elephant focuses on the sandwiches and soups.

Sandwiches include a range of both hot and cold sandwiches, including an Italian Sub, Reuben and a Kentucky Hot Brown, which is served open-faced on white bread with applewood-smoked turkey and bacon, covered in cheese sauce and diced tomatoes.

Photo by David Thometz
Michael Henley works on one of the hand-crafted sandwiches that are the specialty of the White Elephant.

My first visit at the White Elephant introduced me to this eatery’s version of The Muffaletta, a New Orelans-inspired sandwich made from olive salad, bologna, salami, ham and provolone cheese served on ciabatta bread with cheese and pepperoni baked in. This sandwich provided a fantastic fusion of some zesty flavors.

My most recent visit with a friend took place on a sunny spring afternoon. The soup of the day during our visit was Chicken and Dumping Soup, and I immediately wanted to try a bowl.

This soup featured an assortment of herbs and vegetables, including onions, carrots and celery, in a savory, creamy broth. My bowl contained several tasty, fluffy dumplings and I savored every spoonful.

Photo by Bryan Stevens
A bowl of Chicken and Dumpling Soup at White Elephant Fresh Market.

On previous visits, I’ve enjoyed bowls of the rich and hearty Broccoli Cheese Soup, which has been a big hit with regular customers. Other recent soup offerings have included Summer Squash Delight, Maryland Crab, Tomato, Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice, Chicken Tortilla and Cioppino, which is a type of Seafood Chowder.

Of course, I wanted to pair my soup with a sandwich, so I contemplated several of those listed on the menu, including the Turkey Reuben, French Dip and the Golden Gobbler, which features applewood-smoked ham and turkey, bacon, Swiss cheese and honey-dijon mustard, all served on white bread. The MD Pit Beef Sandwich, which features pit beef on a roll with horseradish mayo and thinly slice onions, also tempted me.

On the recommendation of another customer at the counter, I chose the Italian Sub. This cold sandwich is served on a toasted sub roll and features salami, prosciutto, capicola ham, lettuce, tomato, onion and oil and vinegar dressing. This is a great sandwich for those who enjoy zestier flavors.

My friend considered the Vermont, which offers applewood-smoked turkey, sharp cheddar cheese, bacon and maple-grain mustard on white bread, but decided on the White Elephant’s version of the Monte Cristo. This sandwich evolved from the French croque-monsieur, which is essentially a fried ham and cheese sandwich.

Photo by David Thometz
A tasty version of the famous Monte Cristo is one of many sandwiches available at White Elephant Fresh Market.

At the White Elephant, the Monte Cristo is served on buttery, toasted white bread, piled high with applewood-smoked ham and turkey, cheese and Dijon mustard and accompanied by a small container of currant jelly on the side.

Customers can also choose a “build-your-own” sandwich option that gives them the flexibility to choose their own breads, cheeses, meats and vegetables.

In addition to bags of potato chips, the White Elephant offers a couple of side dishes, including Potato Salad and Blue Cheese Coleslaw. I love the slaw, which is a refreshing blend of tangy blue cheese and creamy dressing tossed into a classic cabbage slaw.

Nothing that I have tried at this new establishment could be considered average or ordinary. Everything I’ve sampled has some creative flair that stands out.

There’s not a lot of seating, with only about four small tables in the dining area. The decor is completed with a vintage soda chest at the back of the eatery. A refrigerated glass display case at the front of the eatery showcases the meats and cheeses used for building the sandwiches. Decorating the walls are such items as nostalgic state license plates and shelfs displaying vintage soda bottles.

The eatery also enjoys a brisk carry-out business, and I am very impressed with the neat, precise way that the sandwiches are packaged neatly and precisely in white butcher paper.

It’s a certainty I will be back for future visits since there are still several sandwiches and soups I haven’t yet sampled. If you’ve not made a trip to the White Elephant, make a point to do so in the near future. Let them know they came highly recommended.

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AT A GLANCE: White Elephant Fresh Market, 602 E. Elk Ave., Elizabethton. 518-1111. Menu items $7.99 and under. Credit cards accepted. Carryout available.

Photo by Bryan Stevens                                                                                                                                    Unwrap a Muffaletta and a side of Blue Cheese Slaw from White Elephant Fresh Market.

 

 

Dixie’s Diner expands Stoney Creek dining options

 

Some friends and I made it a point to dine at Dixie’s Diner on Stoney Creek in Elizabethton this past week.

Photo by Bryan Stevens
Dixie’s Diner is located at 1791 Highway 91, Elizabethton.

The meal marked our first visit to the restaurant, which was opened last fall by owner James Harris. Upon our arrival, we were welcomed and told to seat ourselves at any of the eatery’s booths and tables. Banner-sized placards with big, friendly letters promoting slogans such as, “Live life with a twist,” and, “Here, everybody’s a regular,” adorn the wood-plank walls. The chair and benches are upholstered in dark burgundy vinyl. The dining area isn’t showy, but it is cozy, comfortable and clean, and the wood-plank gives the room a rustic touch and imparts a bit of a golden glow to the lighting.

The menu at Dixie’s Diner isn’t elaborate, preferring to keep the focus on burgers, sandwiches and a few country-style dinner platters. In addition to lunch and dinner, the restaurant also offers breakfast all day with a menu of traditional favorites such as biscuits and gravy, hash browns, pancakes, omelets and French toast.

The motivation for our recent visit was to show solidarity with the restaurant’s effort to support paper carriers let go by the Elizabethton Star. It’s rare to come across a business with a conscience these days, but the owners of Dixie’s Diner made a wonderful gesture by setting aside half of the proceeds to be divided among the roughly 16 carriers affected by the decision made by the Alabama owners of the formerly locally-owned newspaper.

The cause was particularly close to my heart since I was among the dozen employees let go in a massive purge a couple of months ago. This new weekly blog was born of that decision after I had numerous people request that I continue my weekly discussions of regional restaurants.

The day I learned of the decision that I was no longer needed at a paper with which I enjoyed a 20-year history was, understandably enough, a difficult one. Thankfully, several local restaurants made it a little more bearable. Jiggy Ray’s, a new pizzeria in downtown Elizabethton, treated me and several co-workers to a free lunch when the manager discovered what had gone down at the newspaper. It was a much-appreciated gesture. I’d encourage everyone to patronize Dixie’s Diner and Jiggy Ray’s, as well as Sycamore Drive-In in Elizabethton. Sycamore Drive-In owner Gary Hicks has been very outspoken in his support for all the community workers who were adversely affected by the decision, which was made by distant corporate heads from Alabama who had made no more than a couple of visits to Elizabethton and no attempt to actually get to know their new employees.

But, stepping back off of my soap-box, the main focus of this weekly endeavor is to introduce readers to some suggested dining destinations.

Dixie’s Diner, although tucked away up Stoney Creek beyond both Unaka High School and Unaka Elementary School, is worth the drive.

My friends and I were treated courteously and attentively by the servers, who also helped by making some recommendations on menu items.

Photo by Bryan Stevens
Meatloaf, Green Beans and Mashed Potatoes at Dixie’s DIner.

 I chose the Meatloaf Dinner, which is accompanied by a choice of two sides, which can include French Fries, Green Beans, Onion Rings, Corn, Fried Okra and Mashed Potatoes. I chose the Green Beans and Mashed Potatoes.

Other dinner platters that got my notice included Hamburger Steak Dinner, Pork Chop Dinner and a large and small Chicken Tender Dinner.

 

One of my friends, a burger connoisseur, studied the those options on the menu. Burgers come in two sizes – 4-ounce and 6-ounce patties – and are served with fries and a drink. Any of the burgers can also be ordered as a double with two patties. Options include Hamburger, Cheeseburger and Bacon-Cheeseburger. He chose the latter.

Photo by Bryan Stevens
Dixie Diner’s Bacon Cheeseburger with a side of Crinkle-cut French Fries.

My other friend considered some of the sandwiches, including the BLT and the Crispy Chicken Sandwich. In the end, he chose one of the dinner platters and ordered the Pork Chop Dinner. For his two sides, he choose Fried Okra and French Fries.

About the only other items on the menu are a couple of dinner salads and a two-Hotdog Platter. We chose to share an order of Onion Rings among the three of us. Our food arrived speedily.

I was pleasantly surprised to find the meatloaf consisted of two muffin-shaped servings of meatloaf topped with ketchup. Every restaurant serves its own version of this comfort food classic, and I enjoyed the muffin-sized meatloaf servings. The meatloaf at Dixie’s Diner is firm, flavorful and not at all greasy.

My friends also reported satisfaction with their meals. The burger aficionado enjoyed his order, which featured a six-ounce patty, topped with an ample amount of bacon and cheese, and served on a sesame-seed bun.

Photo by David Thometz
The Pork Chops Dinner Platter accompanied by French Fries and Fried Okra at Dixie’s Diner.

My friend who ordered the two pork chops was also pleased with the only minor complaint being they might have been cooked slightly too long. The thinly-sliced chops were still well seasoned, flavorful and paired nicely with the Mashed Potatoes and the golden-brown Fried Okra.

I also like the nicely seasoned Green Beans and the Mashed Potatoes that came with my Meatloaf.

Although we were all just too full to indulge, Dixe’s Diner does offer some sweet at the conclusion of the meal, including Funnel Cakes, Snow Cones and Ice Cream. We’ll try to get back for some of those sweets in the near future. I’d also like to make a return visit and try the breakfast at Dixie’s Diner.

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AT A GLANCE: Dixie’s Diner, 1791 Highway 91, Elizabethton. 474-0080. Monday-Saturday, 7 a.m.-7 p.m.; and Sunday, 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Menu items $7.59 and under. Credit cards accepted. Carryout available.

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Do you have a restaurant you would like spotlighted? Post a message in the comments or send email to diningdestinations@wordpress.com

 

 

 

Try Paragon for classic diner fare with flair

 

A friend and I enjoyed a recent Saturday afternoon meal at the Paragon Diner, a new eatery in Johnson City. This restaurant, which opened for business in late 2013, offers classical diner fare with flair for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We enjoyed every aspect of the visit, including friendly service, good-tasting food and a welcoming and well-considered dining atmosphere.

The new diner, which is owned by Peter Simeon, Gus Coubis and Harry Arsi, offers a diverse menu. In addition to classic American diner cuisine, there’s also a nod to some Greek and Mediterranean dishes, including Baked Spinach Pie, Souvlaki, Gyros, Eggplant Parmigiana, Fettuccine Alfredo and Greek Style Spaghetti.

Located in the building that formerly housed the Atlanta Bread Company, the Paragon Diner has transformed its surroundings with well-planned focus on a stately but inviting interior design. The walls are painted dark taupe-gray and sage green, and are contrasted with white brickwork and trim as well as some tin-stamped paneling. Some unframed canvas works of art are displayed on the walls.  There’s a white-brick corner fireplace that lends the entire dining room some cozy comfort. Artistic light fixtures, ornamental faceted sunburst mirrors and floor-length windows draped with white linen curtains complete the tasteful decor. Seating is available at tables and various booths and half-booths.

Upon entering the restaurant, you can’t miss the large glass display that showcases the restaurant’s delectable assortment of cakes and pies.

Photo by David Thometz
The display case of delicious desserts at Paragon Diner in Johnson City.

Asked whether we preferred a table or booth, we chose the latter and were quickly seated. Our server, Tiffany, provided menus and took our drink orders.

As I’ve mentioned, the menu’s quite extensive, so it took some time to study the offerings, which included appetizers, breakfast favorites, salads, sandwiches, burgers, paninis, wraps and triple-deckers. The menu also listed Greek and Italian specialties, hot open-faced platters, poultry, steaks, chops, seafood and pasta.

We began the meal with a shared appetizer, which include Spinach Pie, Potato Skins, Chicken Tenders and Chicken Quesadilla, as well as Baked Feta Cheese and Olives. This last item, which also came with our server’s recommendation, sounded quite unique. This meal-starter features two slabs of baked feta cheese served on a bed of mixed greens and garnished with sliced black olives. The tangy cheese was warm and delicious and went well with the olives and greens, which had been drizzled with olive oil. Although delicious, it was a lot for two diners; I’d recommend this appetizer for a small party of four or five.

Photo by Bryan Stevens                               Baked Feta Cheese and Olives makes a nice appetizer for sharing.

We then turned our full attention to choosing our main dishes. Some of the specialty sandwiches got my notice, include the Monte Cristo and Chicken Cordon Bleu, as did some of the Greek and Italian specialties. I also considered several of the pasta dishes, including St. Luis Pasta, which features Grilled Chicken, spinach and tomatoes in a spicy Cajun cream sauce served over fettuccine pasta, and the Pasta Portabella with Chicken. The Center Cut Marinated Jumbo Pork Chops and the Filet of Sole Florentine also vied for my attention.

I decided to try the Gyro Platter, which is accompanied by a small Greek salad, sauteed vegetables, pita bread and tzatziki sauce.

My friend ordered the Chicken Breast Florentine after also considering the Chicken Marsala and Mediterranean Shrimp.

I also added a cup of soup. The selections available during our visit were Beef and Noodle and Chicken and Rice. I chose the Beef and Noodle. My friend added a cup of the Chicken and Rice Soup to his meal.

The soup arrived ahead of the main meal. The Beef and Noodle was a hearty mix of bowtie pasta, celery, carrots, peas, corn, green beans, onion and beef in a tomato-based broth. The Chicken and Rice Soup featured the same vegetables as those in the Beef and Noodle Soup, but in a milder chicken broth.

Photo by David Thometz
Lamb Gyro Platter

The main dishes arrived quickly, and we were impressed with the ample portions. The lamb gyro was heaped on a bed of seasoned rice, accompanied by sauteed green beans. The Greek salad consisted of mixed greens, cucumbers, tomatoes and black olives with a zesty Greek dressing. The pita bread and tzatziki sauce provided the traditional accompaniment for the lamb gyros.

My friend enjoyed the Chicken Breast Florentine, which featured layers of feta cheese and mounds of sauteed spinach over a chicken breast.

Photo by Bryan Stevens
Chicken Breast Florentine

 

Of course, after passing by that display case of desserts on our way into the restaurant, we could not resist trying some of these sweets. In addition to fruit-topped cheesecake, the available desserts included Carrot Cake, Chocolate Cake, Red Velvet Cake, Hummingbird Cake and Italian Cream Cake.

I chose a piece of Strawberry Shortcake, while my friend ordered the Black Forest Cake. My Strawberry Shortcake arrived as a tall wedge of cake that featured layers of strawberry mousse between the white cake. The outside of the cake was dusted with slivered almonds, topped with fresh strawberries and more sliced almonds and drizzled with a vanilla syrup. The cake was sweet, moist and delicious, a perfect end to the meal. My friend also liked the Black Forest Cake, which featured a rich, decadent melding of dark chocolate with sweet cherries.

 

 

Photo by Bryan Stevens
Sample a delectable dessert at the meal’s end, such as this Strawberry Shortcake.

We left very impressed. Paragon Diner should be a wonderful addition to the Johnson City dining scene. We have already returned for several additional visits. If you go, let them know they were recommended.

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AT A GLANCE: Paragon Diner, 2010 Franklin Terrace Court, 631-0628. Open daily from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Entrees range from $5.95-$17.95. Credit cards accepted. Carryout available.

 

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If you would like to recommend a restaurant for this weekly exploration of regional dining destinations, send an email to diningdestinations@wordpress.com or call me at 423-725-2666.