A New Spin on Southern Comfort

“Family owned” is a term that is used to describe many restaurants and places of business. In the case of Lookout Mountain’s Café on the Corner, guests enjoy a family’s commitment to a wonderful experience the moment they walk through the doors and owner Ruth Oehmig greets them with a warm smile and leads them to their seats.

In the restaurant’s historic dining room, the atmosphere is one of elegance and comfort. Exposed brick and natural wood floors, dating back to when the building was a small grocery store called Massey’s, are warm and nostalgic. Diners feel welcome to enjoy an intimate dinner or a lively celebration with friends.

The menu is a mixture of southern comfort and culinary ingenuity. Ruth’s son, Sven Lindroth is the Executive Chef. A classically trained French chef, Lindroth has used his years of culinary experience in New Orleans, Jamaica and Italy to put a fresh spin on an already impressive menu. Ruth’s Chattanooga roots have had a distinct influence on the culinary lineup and can be seen woven into southern comfort foods. Executive Chef Lindroth explains, “My goal is to take Southern comfort foods and present them in ways people haven’t seen before.”

My dinner guest and I were lucky enough to sample several of the menu items during our visit to Café on the Corner. We started off with a small sampling of Chef Sven’s homemade pimento cheese spread. Served with crackers and bread, this was not your average pimento cheese. We savored every bite and scraped the bottom of the ramekin to make sure none of this delicious spread went to waste.

The appetizers came out next. First we tried the fried green tomatoes. A favorite at our table, this southern classic was drizzled with homemade basil aioli and garnished with sweet pepper jam. The combination of sweet and savory was perfect. The collard greens and smoked pork spring rolls provided an Asian take on some classic southern ingredients and were delicious when dipped in a sweet mustard sauce. Our last sampling was the Tomato Tart, a fantastic combination of goat cheese and tomato served with bacon jam and arugula.

Beets are a perennial southern favorite and are one of the most popular menu items. Ruth’s brainchild, the roasted beet salad is a unique combination of roasted beets, arugula, feta, red onion and orange vinaigrette. Not only is it beautiful to look at, it tastes wonderful …not to be missed by any beet fan. We also sampled the Field Greens salad, a classic combination of apples, gorgonzola, candied pecans and balsamic vinaigrette.

Choosing an entrée from the Café’s extensive menu proved to be a challenge. There were so many wonderful choices. We ended up settling on the pan roasted chicken and the shrimp n’ grits. The pan roasted chicken melted in our mouths. Served with broccoli and crisp fingerling potatoes, this signature entrée is not to be missed. The shrimp n’ frits featured chorizo cream sauce, peppers, onions, andouille sausage and stone-ground white grits. This southern classic was expertly prepared and delicious.

Our final sampling came in the form of desserts. The caramel cake is a true Chattanooga classic. The recipe comes from Ruth’s great aunt Trudy. Years ago, Trudy was the head of two popular tea rooms in Chattanooga where she served her caramel cake. Her cake became famous in the Chattanooga area and Trudy passed her recipe down to Ruth and Sven. With such an impressive history, we had to give it a try. The cake was a hit at our table and a great opportunity to enjoy a slice of local food history. We also sampled the white chocolate banana bread pudding. Prepared by Lindroth’s wife, this was an incredible dessert and a favorite at our table.

Café on the Corner is a delightful place to eat lunch or dinner. Stop by and see what Chef Sven and his mother have in store for you.

Still Looking for that Perfect Summer Camp?

We know that it takes a special sort of camp to keep your child engaged and learning through the summer months. Luckily, Chattanooga camps do their part to provide a welcoming, fun and educational program for every child!

Check out CityScope's Camp Guide for everything you need to know about 38 local camps!

Still Looking for Local Flair to Add to Your Wedding Day?

We know that your special day is the first thing on your mind day & night this Spring. We also know that national bridal magazines can only do so much with helping you plan your Chattanooga wedding. That's why CityScope Magazine features a special wedding section each year!

Check out these sections to help make your planning fun, simple and local.

Bridal Fashions - showcasing the finest gowns and veils from local vendors, including Monica's, La Dean Shop, Boutique Couture , The Prado Collection, and Ever After Bridal. As well as floral bouquets from Jeffrey's Floral & Event Design, Divine Designs, Social Graces and Flowers that Dance.

Your Dream Wedding - to hear first hand accounts of wedding day stories from local Chattanooga couples.

Stylish Sweets - Whether you are looking for the unique, traditional or elaborate cake, local vendors such as Gigi's Cupcakes, The Hot Choclatier, Cakes by Mac , Cake Boutique, Cup A Dee Cakes, Flaky Baker and Lady J's Bakery are sure to be the star of the reception.

Wedding Day Jewelry - Beautiful jewlery ideas from Brody Jewelers, Fischer Evans Jewelers and Rone-Regency Jewelers.

Alleia: A Feast for the Senses

You don't have to travel to a major metropolitan area to enjoy top-notch cuisine. Thanks to local restaurateur, Daniel Lindley, you can enjoy some of the finest fare right here in the Scenic City. I know - I recently had the pleasure of diving at Lindley's newest offering, Alleia.

Designed by Chattanooga's Revival Studio in a collaborative effort between Lindley and Revival's Rodney Simmons, Alleia is a feast for the senses that starts before you step inside.

The exterior door of the restaurant is massive and, in the words of Simmons, "makes one feel as is the are passing into another time or place when pulling on its hand-wrought iron ring."

The interior is dark and beautiful and "creates an environment that reclaims vestiges of the late 19th century Italianate-style Harrington Building," says Simmons.

Directly in front of the expansize kitchen in a communal table that is more than 30 feet long. Here you can enjoy your mean surrounded by other diners. If you prefer to dine privately, you can take a seat in one of the booths that line that well and provide an ideal view of the kitchen.

No matter where you are seated, the view from your table is beautiful and warm with no detail left to chance. And this is just the aesthetics - the food is in a league of its own.

Lindley, the restaurant's executive chef and owner, was kind enough to take us on a palate-pleasing tour of Alleia's ample menu. The meal started with a glass of Orvierto, a crisp white wine with a hint of apricot - the perfect accompaniment for the antipasti that was on its way to our table. We started with arancini, a crispy fried combination of risotto, mozzarella and meat sauce, rolled into a ball and bursting with the flavors of Italy. We also enjoyed Crabtree Farms zucchini blossoms, a delicious tomato-canellini bean bruschetta, grass-fed beef carpaccio with Parmesean, arugula, and white truffle oil, and, my personal favorite, pancetta-wrapped dates with aged basalmic - the perfect combination of sweet and savory flavors.

The next stop on our tour was the insalate course, paired with a glass of rose. We began with the heirloom tomato caprese which featured juicy fresh tomatoes from Crabtree Famrs stacked with slices of mozzarella cheese and basil. Also enjoyed was the traditional Caesar salad, an organic soybean salad featuring a delicious pine nut pesto, and the current special, Apulia burrata with Georgia peaches and prosciutto. The salads were full of fresh ingredients, providing a variety of flavors to suit each palate.

Next came the primi (pasta) course and, along with it, a glass of Mustilli Agliancio Grifo di Rocca, a full-bodied red. All the pasta at Alleia is mad in-house, contributing a unique flavor that enchanced the authenticity of each dish. Our first sampling of pasta was the ricotta di bufala ravioli with basil pesto and heirloom tomatoes. With a mild sweetness from the ricotta and a distinct earthiness derived from the pesto, tomatoes and mozzarella cheese - this was definately a group favorite. Next, we tried the papparadelle with braised veal breast, a savory dish that is sure to be a hit with meat lovers. The papparadelle was followed by the capelli d'angelo with littleneck clams, mussels, and saffrom, and the conchiglie with Alleia sausage, farm peppers and tomatoes.

We held on to our glass of red for the secondi (main) course. First came the wood-fired pork shoulder with Georgia peaches and balsamic. The peachers and mouth-watering pork made for an incredible comboination. This dish was another crowd-pleaser at our table and something I would order again and again. Second to arrive was the quail with charred tomato, a distinct and pleasing flavor combination. The final selection came from Alleia's bountiful wood-fired pizza menu. The Margherita pizza - a simple combination of heirloom tomatoes, basil leaves and mozzarella - makes for a classic Italian taste sensation and the wood-fire cooking process at Alleia makes the pizza a must-try.

For dessert, our palates were treated to three kinds of gelato - peach, lemon and chocolate - along with a flourless chocolate cake and tiramisu. The peach gelato and flourless cake were big hits at our table, but everything was superb and it was impossible not to enjoy every bite, despite a full stomach.

Dining at Alleia is not only a pleasure for the palate, it is a literal feast for the senses.

Visit Alleia at 25 East Main Street in Chattanooga's Southside. 423-475-6324