 |  |  |  |  |
Scroll Down to view Previous Rachels Reviews, listed by Restaurant
Rachel’s Review: Blue Moose Burger’s & Wings
I almost feel bad about doing this review. However, I am still not fully recovered from what happened when I visited this restaurant. I really really wanted to say loads of great things about the
Blue Moose, it has a great ring to it doesn’t it? The blue neon sign was really cute too, very attractive. It was all the makings for a wonderful late Sunday afternoon lunch for me. However, I have
to be truly honest. I didn’t eat one chicken wing from this establishment. Nor was I able to taste anything else on the menu. Unfortunately my visit wasn’t welcomed. I opened the door and the
first thought I had was, I smell burnt grease. Not the best first impression but I pushed on. I awkwardly stood in the doorway, and waited for the host.
While I waited, I checked out what I could see. I noticed the first large table near the door. It was full of dirty dishes.
I was still naively okay with all of this. Sometimes restaurants get busy, and can’t get to the tables. I kept telling myself, this was all cool. But after not seeing a single person, not even a patron, or
a host after closely 6 minutes (doesn't sound long but you try to wait it out when you’re hungry), I decided it was time to go. I went from excited to deflated in that amount of time. To make things
even worse, as I walked out of the door, one of the employees finally walked up to the door and wished me a “good day”, as if I had already eater there. Needless to say, this momma wasn’t
happy. My first words were: “Wow”, my next thought was to get into my car and head around the corner to Little Toyko for some much needed relief. Even though, I was in the mood for “wangs”, I
was happily welcomed at this restaurant. And the food was great.
I am sure your asking, “How can you review a restaurant you’ve never eaten at?” Well, I must say, it’s not easy, however, just think about this: customer service. When I go to a restaurant, I
expect good to excellent customer service. When I don’t get it, I look at the food quality. How great does it taste? Is it worth a bad server or not?
Unfortunately when you’re presented with no service at all? Yes, that’s a big “no no” for me. I’m still not happy having to write this, its negative, it’s not me. However, here I am.
On an up note, I am definitely excited about my next idea for my next review. I’ve had more than a few people tell me to visit this place and I am sure that, I, as well as, the boys will love it. We
are going to have so much fun, I can’t wait! Be sure to look for it. Please, feel free to email me at rachelc@vavlleyvoicenews.com.
I almost feel bad about doing this review. However, I am still not fully recovered from what happened when I visited this restaurant. I really really wanted to say loads of great things about the
Blue Moose, it has a great ring to it doesn’t it? The blue neon sign was really cute too, very attractive. It was all the makings for a wonderful late Sunday afternoon lunch for me. However, I have
to be truly honest. I didn’t eat one chicken wing from this establishment. Nor was I able to taste anything else on the menu. Unfortunately my visit wasn’t welcomed. I opened the door and the
first thought I had was, I smell burnt grease. Not the best first impression but I pushed on. I awkwardly stood in the doorway, and waited for the host.
While I waited, I checked out what I could see. I noticed the first large table near the door. It was full of dirty dishes.
I was still naively okay with all of this. Sometimes restaurants get busy, and can’t get to the tables. I kept telling myself, this was all cool. But after not seeing a single person, not even a patron, or
a host after closely 6 minutes (doesn't sound long but you try to wait it out when you’re hungry), I decided it was time to go. I went from excited to deflated in that amount of time. To make things
even worse, as I walked out of the door, one of the employees finally walked up to the door and wished me a “good day”, as if I had already eater there. Needless to say, this momma wasn’t
happy. My first words were: “Wow”, my next thought was to get into my car and head around the corner to Little Toyko for some much needed relief. Even though, I was in the mood for “wangs”, I
was happily welcomed at this restaurant. And the food was great.
I am sure your asking, “How can you review a restaurant you’ve never eaten at?” Well, I must say, it’s not easy, however, just think about this: customer service. When I go to a restaurant, I
expect good to excellent customer service. When I don’t get it, I look at the food quality. How great does it taste? Is it worth a bad server or not?
Unfortunately when you’re presented with no service at all? Yes, that’s a big “no no” for me. I’m still not happy having to write this, its negative, it’s not me. However, here I am.
On an up note, I am definitely excited about my next idea for my next review. I’ve had more than a few people tell me to visit this place and I am sure that, I, as well as, the boys will love it. We
are going to have so much fun, I can’t wait! Be sure to look for it. Please, feel free to email me at rachelc@vavlleyvoicenews.com.
Rachel’s Review: Wears Country Market & Grill
By Rachel Cimino
For this review, I wanted to stay local. So, I decided I would have lunch at Wears Country Market and Grill, a.k.a. the BP. If you live or work in Wears Valley you know exactly where
I'm talking about. The Market is pretty much the local hangout for the Valley. The day I visited for lunch was a rainy Monday, and everyone at work wanted to stay inside. I didn't
mind getting my hair wet, so, I ordered for everyone at the bank and went to pick it up. The daily special was the famous Patty Melt with a hefty size portion of grilled hamburger
beef served with grilled onions on sourdough bread and melted white cheese. The special came with fries and a drink. My coworker, Colt, ordered the Market’s special. After asking
about his experience, he said, “There’s really nothing else to say about it, it was absolutely amazing!” I was tempted by the almighty melt but I wanted something less "beefy". I was
still trying for a more healthy meal, and thought I’d just eat chicken and vegetables. However, temptation won out, and I ordered the Chicken Philly with grilled onions, mushrooms,
black olives, and banana peppers with a side of Italian dressing to top it off. Okay, so, maybe it’s not quite what I was supposed to order. However, it was well worth the extra
calories. This is my lunch-tale: The Chicken Philly’s hoagie bun was a good quality. It was tasty and crispy on the outside and yet the inside held up well with the grilled chicken and
veggies. The onions were sweet and buttery. The mushrooms were fresh and not over-cooked. While the chicken had a really tasty grilled flavor. But it was the melted, gooey,
yummy white cheese that brought the sandwich all together. To be honest, I made a pig of myself eating it. It was really good. I’ve eaten at the market a lot. My Market “fav” is the
Chicken Philly, as of now. However, the bar-b q pizza is great. Some other greats are the cod and catfish meals. The owner, Dave makes a mean cheeseburger too. Oh, and the
Charley Bigg’s chicken tenders are good with the honey mustard. I have fond memories of last summer eating the Markets tenders along with their deep fried corn nuggets. Ok, so
all this is making me hungry again. I need to find some carrots and celery. Do I feel guilty? A little...okay, not really. You caught me. Like I said, it was worth it! If you have a
comment, or would like to make a restaurant suggestion, feel free to email me at rachelc@valleyvoicenews.com.
By Rachel Cimino
For this review, I wanted to stay local. So, I decided I would have lunch at Wears Country Market and Grill, a.k.a. the BP. If you live or work in Wears Valley you know exactly where
I'm talking about. The Market is pretty much the local hangout for the Valley. The day I visited for lunch was a rainy Monday, and everyone at work wanted to stay inside. I didn't
mind getting my hair wet, so, I ordered for everyone at the bank and went to pick it up. The daily special was the famous Patty Melt with a hefty size portion of grilled hamburger
beef served with grilled onions on sourdough bread and melted white cheese. The special came with fries and a drink. My coworker, Colt, ordered the Market’s special. After asking
about his experience, he said, “There’s really nothing else to say about it, it was absolutely amazing!” I was tempted by the almighty melt but I wanted something less "beefy". I was
still trying for a more healthy meal, and thought I’d just eat chicken and vegetables. However, temptation won out, and I ordered the Chicken Philly with grilled onions, mushrooms,
black olives, and banana peppers with a side of Italian dressing to top it off. Okay, so, maybe it’s not quite what I was supposed to order. However, it was well worth the extra
calories. This is my lunch-tale: The Chicken Philly’s hoagie bun was a good quality. It was tasty and crispy on the outside and yet the inside held up well with the grilled chicken and
veggies. The onions were sweet and buttery. The mushrooms were fresh and not over-cooked. While the chicken had a really tasty grilled flavor. But it was the melted, gooey,
yummy white cheese that brought the sandwich all together. To be honest, I made a pig of myself eating it. It was really good. I’ve eaten at the market a lot. My Market “fav” is the
Chicken Philly, as of now. However, the bar-b q pizza is great. Some other greats are the cod and catfish meals. The owner, Dave makes a mean cheeseburger too. Oh, and the
Charley Bigg’s chicken tenders are good with the honey mustard. I have fond memories of last summer eating the Markets tenders along with their deep fried corn nuggets. Ok, so
all this is making me hungry again. I need to find some carrots and celery. Do I feel guilty? A little...okay, not really. You caught me. Like I said, it was worth it! If you have a
comment, or would like to make a restaurant suggestion, feel free to email me at rachelc@valleyvoicenews.com.
Rachel’s Review: El Jimador Mexican Grill
By Rachel Cimino
Is it me or has the weather lately been a little weird? Is it going to be cold and snowy or warm and breezy? I’ve been a little tired of having to turn on my personal space heater
under my desk at work every morning when I come in. I was really jazzed up the middle of this week when it was so warm, and had a “hankering’” for some decent Mexican food.
Being from Texas, I realized it wasn’t going to be easy finding anything that would compare to my expectations, however I decided to try. My boys and I went into Maryville and
stopped at the El Jimador Mexican Grill. Taylor and Weston were excited when we arrived. They liked seeing the metal sculptures of the musicians in sombreros outside the
restaurant. When we went inside we were greeted by the host and a vibrant decor of bright colors and pictures on all the walls and furniture. Our server was fast and took our
drink order, as well as, delivered some really decent salsa and chips. Both of the boys ordered the kids Enchilada plate, and I ordered the El Jimador’s Special Fajitas that
come with Steak, Pork, and Shrimp. I thought I’d go for more protein and try for the low-carb thing. It was all served with some really tasty refried beans and great Spanish rice,
as well as lettuce, guacamole, and sour cream. It has been so long since I’ve been to a Mexican restaurant like this. The restaurant was extremely clean and the wait staff was
nice. My server wasn’t as on time as I would have liked, but the wait was worth it. My kids actually ate a majority of their food and loved it, which surprised me. It was only a
surprise because they are so picky about what they eat. I really tried to stay low carb and only eat my protein which left me a huge amount of food to take home. I did sneak a
few bites of refried beans and sour cream. What can I say? I'm only human and I knew the boys would eat the leftovers later. The food at El Jimador was extremely fresh, very
hot when served, and truly delicious. I enjoyed every bite. I've been looking for something hot lately...low-and-behold, El Jimador's menu served it to me!
If you have any comments or restaurants suggestions, please email me at rachelc@valleyvoice.com.
By Rachel Cimino
Is it me or has the weather lately been a little weird? Is it going to be cold and snowy or warm and breezy? I’ve been a little tired of having to turn on my personal space heater
under my desk at work every morning when I come in. I was really jazzed up the middle of this week when it was so warm, and had a “hankering’” for some decent Mexican food.
Being from Texas, I realized it wasn’t going to be easy finding anything that would compare to my expectations, however I decided to try. My boys and I went into Maryville and
stopped at the El Jimador Mexican Grill. Taylor and Weston were excited when we arrived. They liked seeing the metal sculptures of the musicians in sombreros outside the
restaurant. When we went inside we were greeted by the host and a vibrant decor of bright colors and pictures on all the walls and furniture. Our server was fast and took our
drink order, as well as, delivered some really decent salsa and chips. Both of the boys ordered the kids Enchilada plate, and I ordered the El Jimador’s Special Fajitas that
come with Steak, Pork, and Shrimp. I thought I’d go for more protein and try for the low-carb thing. It was all served with some really tasty refried beans and great Spanish rice,
as well as lettuce, guacamole, and sour cream. It has been so long since I’ve been to a Mexican restaurant like this. The restaurant was extremely clean and the wait staff was
nice. My server wasn’t as on time as I would have liked, but the wait was worth it. My kids actually ate a majority of their food and loved it, which surprised me. It was only a
surprise because they are so picky about what they eat. I really tried to stay low carb and only eat my protein which left me a huge amount of food to take home. I did sneak a
few bites of refried beans and sour cream. What can I say? I'm only human and I knew the boys would eat the leftovers later. The food at El Jimador was extremely fresh, very
hot when served, and truly delicious. I enjoyed every bite. I've been looking for something hot lately...low-and-behold, El Jimador's menu served it to me!
If you have any comments or restaurants suggestions, please email me at rachelc@valleyvoice.com.
Rachel’s Review: Wears Valley General Store
If you’re a local, I’m sure all you wanted to do was experience the first weekend of spring in the valley. It was absolutely gorgeous! My first thought was: I need sunshine. So, I filled up my
tank and drove around. I felt great about everything. I've been doing well at work, my boys are the best, but, there was something missing. I finally ended up back at home and really wasn’
t satisfied. And so, after wasting gas, time, money, etc., I realized what I really craved was BREAD. I’ve been “low carbing” it for the last few weeks or more. I've been dieting, and doing
well. However, there has been this terrible craving for food that just say’s "home". I needed something that would hold me over until my next review/break-down. I couldn’t take it anymore.
What I needed was a good old fashioned, "down home welcome" to really good FOOD.
I woke up Monday, and knew exactly where I needed to go. I went to the Wears Valley General store. The General Store has been serving great sandwiches, baked goods, sliced-to-order
deli meat, ice cream, etc., for a long while. Al and Beverly, the owners, are down-to-earth people that were more than happy to take my order and made sure that I was very welcome at
their establishment. I ordered something different from the "norm". It was the King's Crown sandwich. It's a club sandwich served on King's Hawaiian Sweet Bread. It has smoked ham and
cheddar on one layer, with turkey and Swiss on another. There were more than enough juicy layers of ham and turkey. The cheese was melted, gooey, and yummy. The sweet bread was
toasted to just the exact point where it wasn't colored but you know it’s crispy. My mouth watered just looking at it. The sandwich was way more than I could possible fit in my mouth,
because the bread towered three layers. It was delicious and hit the "home" button for me!
I had my choice of sides which consisted of a nice portion of savory city potato salad served along with my sandwich. The city version is made with red potatoes, and extra yummy-ness.
I really enjoyed my visit to the Wears Valley General Store. The store itself is fun to shop in. I couldn’t help but want to check out all the old fashioned candies they had, as well as the nice
assortment of hand-crafted items that caught my eye. The restaurant is very clean, the menu is great, and the service is wonderful. Be sure to check out Al’s place, he really knows how to
make you feel at home!
If you have a comment, or a restaurant suggestion, please, email me at rachelc@valleyvoicenews.com
If you’re a local, I’m sure all you wanted to do was experience the first weekend of spring in the valley. It was absolutely gorgeous! My first thought was: I need sunshine. So, I filled up my
tank and drove around. I felt great about everything. I've been doing well at work, my boys are the best, but, there was something missing. I finally ended up back at home and really wasn’
t satisfied. And so, after wasting gas, time, money, etc., I realized what I really craved was BREAD. I’ve been “low carbing” it for the last few weeks or more. I've been dieting, and doing
well. However, there has been this terrible craving for food that just say’s "home". I needed something that would hold me over until my next review/break-down. I couldn’t take it anymore.
What I needed was a good old fashioned, "down home welcome" to really good FOOD.
I woke up Monday, and knew exactly where I needed to go. I went to the Wears Valley General store. The General Store has been serving great sandwiches, baked goods, sliced-to-order
deli meat, ice cream, etc., for a long while. Al and Beverly, the owners, are down-to-earth people that were more than happy to take my order and made sure that I was very welcome at
their establishment. I ordered something different from the "norm". It was the King's Crown sandwich. It's a club sandwich served on King's Hawaiian Sweet Bread. It has smoked ham and
cheddar on one layer, with turkey and Swiss on another. There were more than enough juicy layers of ham and turkey. The cheese was melted, gooey, and yummy. The sweet bread was
toasted to just the exact point where it wasn't colored but you know it’s crispy. My mouth watered just looking at it. The sandwich was way more than I could possible fit in my mouth,
because the bread towered three layers. It was delicious and hit the "home" button for me!
I had my choice of sides which consisted of a nice portion of savory city potato salad served along with my sandwich. The city version is made with red potatoes, and extra yummy-ness.
I really enjoyed my visit to the Wears Valley General Store. The store itself is fun to shop in. I couldn’t help but want to check out all the old fashioned candies they had, as well as the nice
assortment of hand-crafted items that caught my eye. The restaurant is very clean, the menu is great, and the service is wonderful. Be sure to check out Al’s place, he really knows how to
make you feel at home!
If you have a comment, or a restaurant suggestion, please, email me at rachelc@valleyvoicenews.com
Rachel's Review: Sully's Deli & Bagels
By Rachel Cimino
Do YOU know where this bagel shop is? At first, I didn't. I'm always researching new and interesting local restaurants and happened upon Sully's
one day. I couldn't figure the directions out on the internet, so I thought I'd wing it. How hard is it to find something on Wears Valley Road? It’s
actually not that hard, if you’re paying attention. When I made the turn onto Wears Valley Road from Teaster Lane coming from Sevierville, I saw
the Sully's Deli and Bagel van sitting in the parking lot at the newly renamed Shops of Pigeon Forge. BINGO! Pay dirt!
I had my first bagel from Sully's that day. It was an onion bagel that was sliced in half, toasted, and "shmeared" with a great chive cream cheese
mix. And since then it's been my mission to make sure that the residents of Wears Valley know about this dynamite place. I don't think I can brag
enough about Sully's Deli & Bagel restaurant. I've visited it many times, and every time I come away with the same thoughts.
The staff is overwhelmingly courteous. They are very friendly and go overboard to make sure you are happy with their service. As well as, the
food is really good. I've tried almost all of their sandwiches, and feel they are all very much up to par. My favorite is Sully’s club sandwich which
has all the fixen's and is great for the price. It really hits the spot! Sully’s chicken salad sandwich is fantastic too. They have two choices in chicken
sandwiches. My choice would be the southern chicken salad that comes with grapes. I just love a little sweet with my savory.
Lately I've been trying to watch my weight, but no worries here! Sully's has a few low-carb choices as well. My favorite is the Low-carb wrap with
the broccoli salad. Yummy! Sully's wrap is a little small for my BIG appetite, which puts me in this diet quandary in the first place. However the wrap’
s taste makes up for its size, as well as, the broccoli salad is some of the BEST I've had in a long time. Yummy! It’s really really good!
The last time I visited Sully’s Deli and Bagels, I ordered alot of food. What impressed me so much was that, Sully HIMSELF actually helped me with
my order! He even helped me out to my car with it all. I really don't think he knows what I do for the Valley Voice Newspaper yet. But after this, I
better get a free coffee! No, I’m serious! (wink) Thank you Sully! Your restaurant is great!
By Rachel Cimino
Do YOU know where this bagel shop is? At first, I didn't. I'm always researching new and interesting local restaurants and happened upon Sully's
one day. I couldn't figure the directions out on the internet, so I thought I'd wing it. How hard is it to find something on Wears Valley Road? It’s
actually not that hard, if you’re paying attention. When I made the turn onto Wears Valley Road from Teaster Lane coming from Sevierville, I saw
the Sully's Deli and Bagel van sitting in the parking lot at the newly renamed Shops of Pigeon Forge. BINGO! Pay dirt!
I had my first bagel from Sully's that day. It was an onion bagel that was sliced in half, toasted, and "shmeared" with a great chive cream cheese
mix. And since then it's been my mission to make sure that the residents of Wears Valley know about this dynamite place. I don't think I can brag
enough about Sully's Deli & Bagel restaurant. I've visited it many times, and every time I come away with the same thoughts.
The staff is overwhelmingly courteous. They are very friendly and go overboard to make sure you are happy with their service. As well as, the
food is really good. I've tried almost all of their sandwiches, and feel they are all very much up to par. My favorite is Sully’s club sandwich which
has all the fixen's and is great for the price. It really hits the spot! Sully’s chicken salad sandwich is fantastic too. They have two choices in chicken
sandwiches. My choice would be the southern chicken salad that comes with grapes. I just love a little sweet with my savory.
Lately I've been trying to watch my weight, but no worries here! Sully's has a few low-carb choices as well. My favorite is the Low-carb wrap with
the broccoli salad. Yummy! Sully's wrap is a little small for my BIG appetite, which puts me in this diet quandary in the first place. However the wrap’
s taste makes up for its size, as well as, the broccoli salad is some of the BEST I've had in a long time. Yummy! It’s really really good!
The last time I visited Sully’s Deli and Bagels, I ordered alot of food. What impressed me so much was that, Sully HIMSELF actually helped me with
my order! He even helped me out to my car with it all. I really don't think he knows what I do for the Valley Voice Newspaper yet. But after this, I
better get a free coffee! No, I’m serious! (wink) Thank you Sully! Your restaurant is great!
More to come......