I’m a creature of habit. When I order an item at a restaurant that I really like, I’ll get it every time I go there. I ate the pork tacos at Petunia’s Silver Jalapeno so many times, the ladies there decided to offer it as a special and named it after me. It didn’t matter that they thought my name was Thomas; that was an honor.
This column would quickly grow boring, however, if I wrote about Petunia’s pork tacos every week, even if I could go on forever about the tangy sauce they put on it. So I’ve decided to step out of my comfort zone and explore new frontiers in food. My first stop on this journey was Taziki’s, a newly opened Mediterranean café located at 432 Market Street. I’d visited Taziki’s several times, and had always ordered their extraordinary Greek salad. The Greek salad is my “stranded on a desert island” dish, so I’d tried and enjoyed their entire repertoire. They start with a mix of fresh lettuces, tomatoes, cucumbers, roasted peppers, red onions, feta, pepperoncini, kalamata olives and a mouthwatering Greek dressing, and top it off with one of several grilled meats, including chicken, lamb, shrimp (my favorite), tilapia and roasted turkey.
While I could devote this entire column to their Greek salad, Taziki’s menu also includes a selection of appetizers, gyros, sandwiches, entrees and healthy sides. Since I’m still learning to be brave when I open a menu and see the culinary equivalent of “War and Peace” printed on its folds, I decided to let Taziki’s decide for me and ordered their daily special each weekday for one week.
Order the special on a Monday, and you’ll be treated to a Portobello mushroom sandwich, chips and a healthy side. The sandwich includes a tender grilled chicken breast, red peppers, Swiss cheese and mushroom butter on a Kaiser bun. I enjoyed it, but I’m going to file it under, “You might like this more than me.” However, on Tuesdays, you’re going to have to get there early if you want to beat me to the turkey gyro club. In a word, it’s incredible. Packed with grilled and seasoned turkey, hickory bacon, Swiss cheese, pesto mayo, tomatoes and mixed lettuces, this is one of the best lunch items I’ve sampled in Chattanooga.
Remember my complaint about the thin, crackly bacon at Five Guys? The bacon on Taziki’s turkey club is thick, chewy and delicious. That and the pesto mayo made the gyro. Trust me; if you try this item, you’ll return the following Tuesday for another one.
I’m going to jump ahead to Friday, since Wednesday’s Spanakopita roll-up and Thursday’s grilled tilapia taco weren’t my thing, either, but might be yours. However, I can’t imagine anyone not liking Friday’s pasta, a heaping plate of mixed lettuces, penne pasta and grilled chicken tossed in Taziki’s homemade balsamic vinaigrette and topped with tomatoes, feta and fresh basil. Seriously, you have to try it.
Before I reach the end of this column, I want to mention three things about Taziki’s. One, you can taste the freshness in their food. Nothing comes pre-made, including their creamy, spicy pimento cheese, which comes with baked pita chips. Two, there are no televisions or music players blasting at Taziki’s. Rather, the ambience encourages fellowship and conversation with friends, which is endemic of the Greek culture.
And three, nearly all of their daily specials are available for less than seven dollars.
Seriously, you have to try them.
Email David Laprad at dlaprad@hamiltoncountyherald.com.