Variety is the House Specialty at These Dickson County Restaurants
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Whether you’re in the mood for a juicy steak‚ golden fried catfish or freshly baked cookies‚ you’re sure to find something to sink your teeth into in Dickson.
House Blend Gourmet Coffeehouse and Eclectic Gifts has been a hot spot with coffee lovers since it opened in 2002.
“The first year we opened‚ a lot of people told us they had been driving to Nashville just to get good coffee‚” says Jeremy Spencer‚ who owns House Blend with his wife‚ Holly. “We use a local roaster out of Nashville‚ so we can communicate with them directly. One unique thing about us is that our espresso is a medium roast‚ and most are dark. It’s not as smoky of a flavor‚ and lots of people like that.”
“One of our best-selling drinks is the Monkey Mocha‚ which is banana‚ chocolate‚ espresso and ice cream all blended together‚” Spencer says.
House Blend also serves smoothies‚ hot chocolate‚ Italian sodas and of course‚ gourmet coffees.
But don’t be fooled – this Main Street establishment offers much more than coffee. Sandwiches‚ soups‚ bread bowls‚ croissants‚ cinnamon rolls‚ scones‚ muffins and cookies are also the menu.
House Blend even offers make-your-own s’mores – patrons can roast marshmallows right at their table.
“We try to do everything with a twist‚” says Spencer “We make a Grown-Up Grilled Cheese that has four cheeses‚ tomato and Caesar dressing. Once people have that‚ they tell other people to try it.”
With its inviting couch and tables‚ House Blend is a comfy place to spend your mornings.
But when lunchtime rolls around‚ The Butcher’s Table at the Dickson Country Club is the place to be. With its walls of glass‚ The Butcher’s Table offers up prime cuts of meat with a panoramic view.
Started by Don Evans in 2001‚ The Butcher’s Table is the place for a thick‚ juicy steak‚ accompanied by a salad and baked potato.
“I cut and trim all our steaks by hand‚ so they’re thicker than most steaks‚ and they’re trimmed tight so there’s not a lot of fat‚” Evans says. “People have told me it’s the best steak in Dickson.”
While The Butcher’s Table is the official food service for the Dickson Country Club and its members‚ the restaurant is open to the public for lunch Tuesday through Sunday and for dinner on Thursday and Friday nights.
“We like to include everybody‚ regardless of whether or not they’re members‚” Evans says. “We have lots of regulars that come back every Friday night. When they walk in‚ our staff knows to bring them a glass of sweet tea.”
In addition to steak‚ The Butcher’s Table serves prime rib‚ tilapia‚ salmon‚ shrimp‚ chicken‚ pastas and fried catfish on Fridays.
Speaking of catfish‚ The Catfish Kitchen on U.S. Highway 70 East has been a Dickson County tradition since the early 1970s. The place is impossible to miss‚ because a giant catfish‚ complete with whiskers‚ adorns the sign out front.
All-you-can-eat farm fresh catfish is the house special‚ but The Catfish Kitchen also has chicken strips‚ T-bone steaks‚ shrimp‚ oysters‚ frog legs‚ stuffed crab‚ clam strips‚ and all-you-can-eat quail on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.
Don Hixson and his wife‚ Sharon‚ have owned the restaurant for 20 years.
Hixson has a tight grip on quality control – he does 90 percent of the cooking himself.
“I work in the kitchen‚ and I don’t send anything out of there I wouldn’t eat myself‚” he says. “One of the hardest jobs is pleasing someone else’s stomach‚ so for people to walk out of here and say it’s the best meal they ever had is pretty rewarding.”
The Catfish Kitchen is open Tuesday through Saturday for dinner only‚ and Sunday for lunch and dinner.
Other enticing dining options in Dickson County include Corner Bistro‚ a new wine bar and grill downtown; the cheerfully decorated Front Porch on Center Avenue‚ home of the “mile-high coconut pie”; Fossie’s “walk-in BBQ‚” a mainstay since 1956; and Miss Mable’s Tea Room‚ where finger sandwiches‚ tea breads‚ pastries and more than 80 teas delight the taste buds.
Story by Jessica Mozo
Photo by Greg Emens
