Editorial
Front Page - Friday, December 31, 2010
River City Roundabout
Here comes a regular
Erica Tuggle
The LongHorn Restaurant and Diner on the North Shore of downtown Chattanooga offers breakfast served all day and hearty lunch specials for only $5. Established in 1959, LongHorn offers a dining atmosphere in the nostalgia of the ’50s “diner days” where food is cooked in front of patrons and servers work hard to get to know their customers and their needs.
- Erica Tuggle
There are some restaurants where it’s almost guaranteed that the food you eat will always be comforting, satisfying and affordable enough that repeat visits are sure to follow. These places evoke in us a sense of nostalgia and become places where we associate good memories with friends, good places to think or good places to be in general with an unchanging menu, a friendly everyday staff and an atmosphere that always welcomes us in.
Although it now rare to find places to establish this bond, diners seem to have always had these qualities to draw us in, and as such, our culture tends to cluster around them when we need a place to go meet an old friend, want to find a place to make a new friend or are looking just enjoy the peaceful warmth and sizzle of breakfast food any time of day.
LongHorn Restaurant on downtown’s North Shore is a diner that remains as welcoming as all diners should, and is clean, which is something that the chain diners can’t always promise (as road-weary travelers know from squeamish experience). The small and intimate setting of LongHorn makes for instant ease at any table you choose or if you decide to slide up to a stool at the bar and find out the latest news from the crew. The LongHorn staff have all been there over 10 years, providing hot breakfast all day, lunch specials and homemade desserts.
Through the week, Long-Horn is open until 3 p.m. each day, but recently they have extended their hours on Friday and Saturday to remain open until 11 p.m. This makes LongHorn a perfect stop for a late night snack after a movie or when all the stores on Frazier Avenue close for the night.
You can’t go wrong with doing breakfast with LongHorn, no matter what time of day you stop in. You can get eggs, bacon, ham, pancakes or any other number of early morning items without the kitchen mess to clean when you stop in here, and it is all made in front of you on the hot bar. Watch them mix together cheese, sausage and eggs and smell them sizzling as they are cooked to your preference.
I watched as my omelet came together in this fashion and enjoyed the hot and cheesy mixture soon after. The biscuits were fluffy and fresh and the gravy was savory and hearty. Add fresh brewed iced tea to this with just a squirt of lemon, and you’ve got a great meal any time of the day for under $10.
The lunch specials also can’t be beat. For $5 you can have any number of items from chicken salad, a fried bologna sandwich, grilled cheese and more. Add a side of hash browns, French fries or many more options for good measure. The Wagon Wheel platter in particular is one that looks as good as it tastes. Starting with a hamburger deluxe with or without cheese and topped with fresh lettuce and tomato, this circle shaped lunch will fill you up. This platter also includes coleslaw and a side of hash browns, French fries or tater tots. The crispy hash browns with ketchup are the house favorite.
There are also daily specials at LongHorn, from hamburger steak with mashed potatoes, gravy and okra, to any number of other home cooked favorites. You can finish off the meal with a slice of chocolate cake or maybe a slice of pie if you happen to be lucky enough to grab a piece before they run out.
More interesting than all the mouth-watering food, though, is the atmosphere of LongHorn. Many of those who dine with LongHorn are regular customers that the staff knows by name. Working men and women drop by and work a crossword puzzle while enjoying a meal before or after their shift and are a common site. Retirees, tourists and anyone passing by are drawn into the little diner that retains the feel of a simpler time in dining.
This slice of Chattanooga and American history stands at 129 North Market Street amidst the development that springs up around it and the shops that come and go on the bustling North Shore of downtown. They offer reserved parking just for their customers, and service is prompt and friendly. Your waitress or waiter may call across the bar to you to ask if you’d like another refill, to try a dessert or to just see how you are doing. They put you at ease quickly with their down home attitude, and you can be sure that you will soon find yourself becoming a “regular” at the LongHorn Restaurant.
Contact Erica Tuggle at reporter@hamiltoncountyherald.com.
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