Best restaurant in Chattanooga…read more
Long post alert! If you don't want to read it all, here's what you need to know:
* Spectacular authentic New Orleanian cuisine
* Deliciously inventive cocktails
* Top notch service with genuine, kind people
My family and I went to Neutral Ground today for brunch. We have been extremely cautious about going to restaurants since the pandemic hit, and this was probably only the 6th time we've sat down in a restaurant since this all started.
We called on our way to see if we needed reservations to sit outside (still haven't sat inside since last May). They said no, and when we pulled up, we saw that they had already set up the table for us, complete with a small fire pit to keep us warm.
They are very careful about COVID. Everyone is required to wear a mask, temp checks at the door, and they take your first name and number for contact tracing, all of which was very appreciated. The ambiance is very trendy, kind of like a modern take on a high end 60s bar. Excellent drink menu as well, and they are happy to make anything for you.
Ok, the food. We ordered the standard breakfast for our three kids, which consisted of scrambled eggs, hash browns, smoky bacon and creamy grits. The staff went ahead and split up the meal evenly on three small plates, and it was more than enough for them. My kids are fairly picky eaters, and they are every bite! If you have small kids, you know how rare that is! Speaking of kids, the restaurant is very kid friendly.
My wife got the breakfast sandwich, which had spicy sausage and eggs on an English muffin served with plantain and sweet potato chips. It was amazing! The sausage tasted slightly like chorizo, but with a flavor all its own.
I ordered the catfish and grits (pictured), and it was perfect. The catfish tenders were fried perfectly; crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside. The grits were fluffy and creamy with a melt in your mouth sauce on top. All garnished with thinly sliced fresh jalapeños to give it an extra depth of flavor and spice. SO GOOD.
We got some apple cider donuts and strawberry hand pies for dessert and both were truly great. The donuts were soft and sweet, while the pies were flaky and light.
What the chef is doing at Neutral Ground is extremely unique in Chattanooga: his food is authentic to New Orleans, yet he makes it his own. This is the third time I've eaten here, and the first time we have all sat down in the restaurant. We love many of the restaurants in town, but in my opinion this one can't be beat for its combination of service, ambiance and food.