Talus – Feeling A Little Jammed

  • Tuesday, March 24, 2015
  • Willie Mae
Grilled Cheese sandwich with bacon jam and tomato basil soup
Grilled Cheese sandwich with bacon jam and tomato basil soup

Well, I got to Chattanooga again so Lois and I took off on another jaunt – this time on the other mountain since I know how Lois just LOVES to go up the mountains.

We went up Lookout on Scenic Highway to a place called Talus Bar and Grill. Lois doesn’t think the drive up Lookout is as scary as Signal so she kept her eyes open.

When we walked in, we noticed art from local artist on the walls and you could buy them if you wanted to.

It was so nice and clean, but the tables were quite high. We were seated at a corner table and boy was it an effort just climbing in the seat! It was fun though…made me feel a little tall.

Now that winter is over Lois was feeling chipper and decided she wanted to ‘try something different’. I didn’t like the sound of that. It is a long process for her to make up her mind and if she orders something she has never tried - she usually hates it.

Some of the sandwiches came with Talus’ own ‘bacon jam’. Now I am sure I couldn’t tell you where bacon comes from on a pig, but I hated to think where the ‘jam’ part comes from!

I decided to play it safe with the shrimp tacos for $15 and Lois wanted to try the grilled cheese and basil soup for $9, but the bacon jam was on the sandwich. I told her she might want to order something she knows she likes, but she insisted on trying it and I just knew how this would end.

I gave the waitress my order and when it was Lois’ turn she stumbled a bit on her words. “I will have the grilled cheese and the tomato ba-a-a-zzil soup…” Poor dear sounded like a billy goat, but she immediately corrected herself “… basil - the basil soup.”

They were quite busy and we were hungry so we also ordered appetizers. Lois wanted to try their homemade potato chips, but she knows I have to compare fried green tomatoes when I see them on the menu, so we ordered both.

She said, “I don’t know what it is you like about fried green tomatoes, but I did like the movie.”

Our water had a straw as long as a corn stalk! Lois almost poked her eye out. We wished we had scissors to cut them down a bit.

The appetizers hit the spot. Those chips were crispy but not overly cooked so you could taste the flavor of the potato and they gave us cheese sauce to dip them in. Lois thought the sauce was a little too salty, but I liked it. And I liked the fact that it had real bacon sprinkles and not jam.

Lois asked how I would rate their fried Green Tomatoes and I told her from all I have tried, on a scale from 1-5 I would give them a 3. They were pretty good, but I think the place in Soddy Daisy had the best I have tried so far.

Our meals came and my soft tacos were on a contraption that held them together so they didn’t fall apart. I liked that!

Then came the moment I was waiting for … Lois tried the bacon jam grilled cheese sandwich. If she hated it, I wouldn’t say a word I would just mind my own business.

She liked it! Lois liked it!

She said it had a sweet flavor and small bacon pieces mixed in. She also liked her billy goat soup. She said, “The soup and sandwich really complement each other and I want it in my mouth at the same time!”

I told her to go ahead and dip.

It was on Canadian bread and Lois said it was very easy to eat (old folk don’t like to chew too much).

My shrimp tacos were delicious! I was sold on the chips more than I was the tomatoes, so I gave the rest to Lois. The more I dipped the chips in the cheese, the saltier it seemed and Lois was right. We had to ask the waitress for boxes, there was no way we could eat all of our food.

I think we were also busy catching up. I had missed my old friend so we decided to try one of those self-pictures with our camera. Just when I tried to snap it, Lois hollered out, “Wait! That is not my good side! Switch places with me.”

Lawsy mercy, the booth was high on a platform and it was hard enough getting in it the first time!

I admit I got tickled when we tried to get out of the seat to switch places. We tried to hold my phone where we both could get in the picture, but it wasn’t easy. I held the phone and she pushed the button.

When the waitress came to give us our boxes, we were seated on the opposite side from where we were. Now, older folk’s brains take a minute to readjust, so as we were leaving I grabbed Lois’ pocket book and she started to grab mine! Then she said, “Where’s my glasses? Hand me my glasses...” I think if people saw us confused and scurrying around they would have had their own comedy show.

This was a great place and Lois liked her food! That in itself is reason to give this place a Willie Mae “whee-ee-doggie!”

Hours: 11-9

 

Shrimp and avacado soft tacos and fried green tomatoes
Shrimp and avacado soft tacos and fried green tomatoes
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