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.
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.
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.
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.
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