We’ve been busy sampling tacos, ice cream, and a diner lunch from various locally owned dining establishments in the vicinity of the Inn.
Tacos from SoKno Taco Cantina
Tacos from SoKno Taco Cantina are first up. This establishment is dog friendly so I brought Kiera along. SoKno Taco Cantina has long been a favorite of ours. They have a good selection of microbrews as well as an extensive list of tequilas.
On the menu are four platters, two tacos, a burrito, two tamales, and a quesadilla. Each platter comes with fiesta rice, cast iron beans, and chips with a choice of salsa. There are eight choices for protein, and I’ve been slowly working my way through them. This afternoon I went with the marinated and deep fried tofu, and salsa verde to go with the chips. All was very good. In the past I have tried the mezclar la carne (chorizo & beef mixture), and the el camaron (shrimp). All was washed down with an Austin East Blood Orange Cider.
Ice Cream from Molly’s
We stopped by Molly’s Ice Cream and Treats, located at 1698 Hwy 139, Dandridge on a Tuesday afternoon. It is across the highway from the Anchor Down RV Resort on Douglas Lake. Molly’s is also dog friendly on the deck, and offers a “pup cup” for their furry customers. Kiera had already wiped out the doggie biscuit and was enjoying what is likely her first taste of ice cream in the photo below.
Diner Lunch
While in Dandridge recently I had stopped by The Shepard Inn. This establishment was built circa 1820. I arranged for a tour at a later date, and took advantage of the timing of that appointment to have lunch at Owens Restaurant. The restaurant is located at 834 Hwy 92 South, in Dandridge, TN 37725. They are open from 6am until 3pm, Monday through Saturday.
I arrived a bit past noon on a Friday and they were somewhat busy as would be expected. There was no “seat yourself” sign up front so I stood for quite a while before a waitress asked if I was there for a togo order. While it was clear it was mostly a local crowd who knew to seat themselves, it’d be nice to have a sign for us first-timers. There is one large room with booths along the right and left sides, and tables scattered throughout the rest of the room. About five were open when I arrived. The “meat” part of the meat and three specials that day included beef Mac, pulled pork, fried catfish, baked chicken, and cubed steak. With 14 options for the sides I won’t list them here. I opted for the fried catfish with pickled beets, cucumber & tomato salad, and macaroni salad.
The meal came out fairly quickly with a side of hushpuppies. The catfish was good although the breading was a bit thick. All of three side dishes were good. Prices were reasonable with the daily special at $10.95, and homemade soups (2) and chili at $4 and $5 respectively. All in all, a solid choice for lunch. I plan to return and try other items from the menu.
Wrapping up
This was just a quick review of places to find good tacos, ice cream, and a lunch diner in the area around The Sidecar Inn, a Bed & Breakfast located in a historic building.
