AUTHOR: ARTSY CHOW ROAMER

Pick of the Month

ST. JOHN’S RESTAURANTS IN CHATTANOOGA, TN

On a recent trip through Chattanooga we were looking for a new restaurant to try for a birthday dinner. We landed on St. John’s in the downtown area of this pretty city. If you are a regular reader of this blog you know we run the roads back and forth between Georgia and the state of Tennessee where my mother lives.

I have written several reviews on restaurants around Chattanooga as that is about the halfway mark and we like to stop for a drink and a good meal.. Fourth largest city in the state after Nashville and Knoxville, there is a surprising number of super good restaurants to choose from there. This post we will take a look at both the choices you have if you want to give St. Johns a visit.

THE FINE DINING CHOICE

We were working our way through a difficult parking situation running back and forth for a displayed ticket when a stranger listening to our conversation gave us a little advice. He told us that St. John’s had two different choices-fine dining and a less expensive more casual place just two doors down.

He said both used the same kitchen with similar menu choices just better priced and more laid back for a different vibe in the casual than the fine. We said thanks and headed off to the fine dining for drinks and to look over the menu.

The hosts at the door were friendly giving us a menu and allowing us to grab a seat at the bar to look it over while ordering a drink. The bartender brought us the coldest martinis with blue cheese olives (our favorite you know…) and we immediately saw things we would like to try.

Louisiana Crawfish Fritters sounded pretty good as did Roasted Corn and Summer Squash Soup with bits of lobster. I wouldn’t have minded trying the Pork Belly Biscuit or the Sauteed Sea Scallops; all available between $11 and 15. The Beef Tartare and Roasted Beets would have been great choices too.

While we were there earlier around 5:30 or so, many tables were already full and several were eating at the bar. The plates coming out looked beautifully composed and there were wonderful smells everywhere. We were a little under dressed by comparison but I felt better when a group of young men came in together in their trendy summer shorts and sockless loafers.

While we usually stick to small plates in order to be able to try more things and get a better idea of the Chef’s inspiration, there were lovely offerings under regular entrees. Sea Bass and Trout were the seafood choices while steak offered several different cuts like Hangar, Flat-Iron, Filet and New York Strip. I was surprised to see Antelope as I have never tried that and don’t see it very often on menus.

A chicken, duck and pork chop rounded out the menu with a nice vegetable plate for the no meat eaters. The price range was a little hefty at $25 to 43. I decided to run over and take a look at their other restaurant and grabbed the menu for comparison.

MEETING PLACE-THE CASUAL CHOICE

The first thing I noticed that as light, open and airy as the pretty fine dining room appeared, Meeting Place was almost the exact opposite. Even with two stories and high ceilings it still came off as more cozy and romantic with it’s dark walls and artsy atmosphere; the perfect meeting spot for a date. I decided that was where I wanted to eat my birthday meal and ran back with the menu to show my husband.

He liked the sound of the other place and we paid our tab and walked two doors down. We were seated and continued to go over the menu while I also took a tour around the place. It had two stories like the fine dining restaurant so I took the stairs and discovered it was their bar with lots of comfy living room type groupings and tables.

Several couples were huddled close together enjoying small plates and drinks. The lighting and music were all geared towards conversation instead of the steady beat of club music like many trendy places do today. This would be one of my favorite places to meet a friend or date for an evening out.

FIRST COURSE

The layout of the menu is very simple; plates list ingredients across the line with a price at the end with both small and large choices being available. A total of 12 small plates were on offer for our dinner that night which meant a lot to choose from with prices from $8 to 14. Nine choices were available under large plates ranged from $14-37.

We decided to go with the fried goat cheese with rosemary honey and chili flake to go with our drinks. They arrived quickly and were so delicious. It was a very tasty cheese fried in a ball to a golden brown with a hit of the sweet fresh smelling rosemary honey drizzled over and a little heat at the back with the chili flake.

I ordered a glass of their malbec from Argentina which was super good with long legs just like you want it to be. My husband ordered a white albarino from Spain and said it was excellent as well. Wine by the glass were simple with only five choices but they were well chosen and pricing ranged from $8.50 to $12 a glass. Many more craft beer choices were available ranging from $5.50 to 10. The upstairs bar certainly suggested signature cocktails might be a must have.

SECOND COURSE

Since the steak tartare had been on the fine dining menu (for $15) and caught our eye we decided to try it from this menu at $10. I am thinking at looking at the description that it is a simpler method of presentation with fewer ingredients and maybe a slightly smaller portion is the only difference between the two dishes.

We got a lovely squared up presentation which is nice over the round patty most everyone else usually offers. The meat was delicious and salted correctly with crispy bits of capers, green onions and thin slices of radish to offer the right textural components.

A generous slice of lemon squeezed across it made for another fresh ingredient with hand made crostini that were excellent with just the right amount of crunchiness. This is a dish that you want to eat in a hurry because it is so good but be lazy with it-make it last and enjoy every single bite while taking in the romantic candles and the great wine.

THIRD COURSE

Pickett’s Ranch trout was offered on both menus as well one at $26 and the other at $18. I actually preferred the description offered at Meeting Place because it had polenta with smoked asparagus and cornbread crumb which I thought sounded just about as good as it gets.

Trust me….it is. The fish was so fresh, light and moist with a crispy skin presentation. It sat on top of the polenta with bits of the cornbread and asparagus sprinkled around it. Chef has a very good understanding of soft to crispy texture ratios.

The polenta was delicious with good flavoring and smoothness. It almost tasted like cheese had been added to give it that creaminess you don’t always get but since cheese with fish is sometimes frowned upon in some kitchens I can’t be entirely sure.

The cornbread gave you a little bread feeling you want and the underlying smoky veg was just right. This dish felt like good eating at any Southern chef’s home that knows their way around the barbecue.

FOURTH COURSE

We felt happily full but decided since it was my birthday that we had to share a special dessert. We told our server to surprise us with something featured for the evening. There were tastes of three different items on the heavenly plate that arrived. Again, soft worked beautifully with texture and sweetness.

We scraped every last bite off the plate. Espresso served in the proper size with the right spoon and a lump of brown sugar made the meal a perfect night.

IN CONCLUSION

Both of these restaurants are fabulous choices for an evening out whether it’s a special occasion or not. If you want one of the best fine dining experiences Chattanooga has to offer than pick St. John’s. If you like a more casual romantic atmosphere that feels a little more artsy and is lighter on your wallet pick Meeting Place. I can highly recommend both and we will be back again in the near future.

If you liked what you read you might also enjoy other restaurant reviews under Edible Fare. I have also done reviews on other Chattanooga restaurants like The Boathouse and Alleia. BTW, this will be my last post for the summer. I take July and August off to work on the website, pitch stories and update old posts for Mr. Google. I will miss you Constant Reader but be back soon! 😉

Hey, don’t be a stranger. Do you have a favorite place to eat in Chattanooga? Give me your picks for my next trip through the city. Until next time…

ArtsyChowRoamer

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