Timing is everything when you’re a comedian. If your timing is off when you tell a joke, you won’t get the hoped-for reaction.
Timing also is everything when visiting Honey Seed, a new casual dining restaurant located on the southern tail of Market Street. Arrive at the wrong time and you might not get your pick from the menu, which consists of hand-rolled Montreal-style bagels, wood-fired pizza and other assorted eats.
That might sound like a knock against the place. It’s not.
If you’ve ever felt like you were eating a thawed and warmed up entree while dining out – we won’t name names but I’d bet at least one place popped into your head – then you’ll appreciate the commitment to freshness at Honey Seed.
I’ll start with the bagels. If you’re like me, you’re wondering what kind of twist the people of Montreal introduced to the baking process that sets their bagels apart. Google says a New York bagel is boiled before being baked in a traditional oven, while a Montreal bagel is boiled in water that contains sugar and honey before being baked in a wood-fired oven.
In a bid to make sure its bagels are a fresh as possible, the staff at Honey Seed makes its dough in small batches throughout the day. They then bake each side of the bagels in the hearth of their wood-fired wonder.
Varieties include sesame, poppy, “all-dressed” (Honey Seed’s version of the everything bagel) and specialty bagels that change daily. Grab a dozen, along with some cream cheese or seeded honey, to go, and you might have a couple less by the time you reach home or work.
I didn’t try a bagel during my first visit. Like I mentioned, timing is everything, and I arrived at Honey Seed at high noon to try one of their wood-fired pizzas, which are made with 00 flour (the most refined flour – thank you again, Google) and San Marzano tomatoes (which Martha Stewart calls the “Ferrari of canned tomatoes”).
The girl behind the counter gave me a sad head tilt and an apology when I stepped up and said I was looking forward to trying their margherita pizza. “We don’t start making pizza until 4 p.m.,” she informed me.
I would have known this if I’d I paid attention when I browsed honeyseedchatt.com that morning – it’s in big, bold letters on the front page – so I had no one to blame but myself. But I was disappointed as I opened one of their menus and slid to the side to let the guy behind me order.
In addition to its marquee fare, Honey Seed serves brunch all day (7 a.m.-9 p.m.), breakfast sandwiches made with bagels, regular sandwiches made with paninis and bagels, and vegan and vegetarian salads.
Since I was “sandwiched” (rimshot) between breakfast and the magical hour of 4 p.m., I opted for the CBLT Panini, a sandwich with chicken breast, bacon, tomato, white cheddar, avocado and ranch dressing. I also ordered housemade Tater Tots.
What a consolation prize! Even if your timing is off for a pizza, you’ll have your choice of many delicious alternates.
My sandwich was no processed deli meat hack job but a freshly made delicacy with warm and crunchy panini bread, juicy chicken breast and thick slices of salty bacon.
The Tater Tots were another treat. Toss out what you know about the Ore-ida tots I’d wager most places serve because these handmade delights were something special. They looked like miniature naval mines, with a crunchy spiked exterior and a soft interior, and tasted great.
As I washed down my lunch with strawberry mint lemonade – so tart, so sweet and so delicious – I’d forgotten all about missing out on pizza.
Two days later, I remembered the pizza and made another pilgrimage to Honey Seed.
This time, the sun was setting as a friend and I pulled in and parked (for free) in the restaurant’s adjacent lot. A short time later, I was gazing at a glistening 14-inch beauty covered with mozzarella, roasted garlic, bail pesto, cherry tomatoes and toasted seeds.
As my friend and I ate, I explained my thoughts like this: In 2009, I attended a video game industry conference in Kyiv, Ukraine, with my employer at the time, a Russian games maker. The meats and breads in the country were indescribably good – to the degree that I lamented having to return home.
I especially enjoyed – and have never forgotten – the margherita pizza I ate there. It was, to lean on a cliche, a revelation about how good food can be.
The pizza my friend and I consumed at Honey Seed was just as good. Was it the flour? The tomatoes? The wood-fired oven? I’d say it as all three, along with the care and attention of a staff that seems genuinely focused on providing exceptionally delicious food.
A few notes:
• If you have two extra dollars burning a hole in your pocket, order the seeded honey crust with your pizza. You can also purchase jars of seeded honey to take home.
• Local brews are on tap at the full bar for those who enjoy the taste of Chattanooga’s distilleries.
n This is important: Place the beeper the cashier gives you ON the card that’s located at the edge of your table. Somehow, pairing the beeper with the card tells the server where to bring your food. When I failed to do this during my first visit, a server slid my beeper into position as he walked by, ensuring I wouldn’t go hungry.
Honey Seed did not disappoint and is well worth the drive to the city. Since it’s located on the far edge of Market Street (1705 Market Street, to be precise), you’ll avoid the heart of downtown and likely slip right into a parking spot.
Just make sure your timing is good is you want pizza.