Editorial
Front Page - Friday, July 24, 2009
Weekly Indulgence
Samara Litvack
I’ve been hearing about Zarzour’s Café for months now. I’m not sure how things happen that way, but it seems they always do. First, a local talk radio personality mentioned that it was one of his favorite places to dine. Then I heard someone mention that they were listed in 2008’s “Roadfood: The Coast-to-Coast Guide to 700 of the Best Barbecue Joints, Lobster Shacks, Ice Cream Parlors, Highway Diners and Much, Much More” by Jane and Michael Stern. (It’s a long name for a book, but it sounds like these people did extensive research.)
I took all these mentions as signs to have lunch there, so I recruited two friends to head to the South Side with me last week to see just what Zarzour’s had to offer.
We got there at 11:30 on a Thursday and walked in the door just as a table of ladies was getting up to leave. I considered us very lucky; every other table and barstool in the diner was filled, and there was soon a line of people waiting at the door to be seated. A server took our drink orders fairly quickly, and as she dropped them off, she pointed out the daily specials.
One drink of sweet tea later, I knew I had found my new favorite lunch spot. The tea was so good – made at home, not in house, we overheard someone tell her lunch companion. I know, to some people, sweet tea is just sweet tea, no matter how you cut it. But I believe there is an art to it.
When I was a kid, my mother used to make sun tea on our front porch. It would sit out there for days at a time, and was – by far – the best tea ever … until lunch at Zarzour’s. Now I have a new favorite.
When I asked our sever what she recommended, she said Zarzour’s has the best cheeseburger in town. With a claim that large, I had to indulge. Meg and I ordered cheeseburgers — mine all the way, hers with only tomato and onion. Ryan decided on the daily special, which I’d have chosen, too, if only one word had been different. Meatloaf with Creole sauce sounded like heartburn on a platter to me, but he ordered it confidently with mashed potatoes and pinto beans.
As our food was prepared, we admired our surroundings. Established in 1918, Zarzour’s history is written on the walls. An autographed photo of Samuel L. Jackson hung above the table behind me. It read, “The girls at Zarzour’s – I’m full – Of food! Of joy! Of love!”
Behind the counter, clever signs grabbed our attention. “Insults included in price,” read one. “Around here, we treat you like family. But we don’t treat family very well,” read another.
It was plain to see these signs were tongue in cheek, however, because the ladies running that restaurant work like a fine-tuned, well-oiled machine. I was amazed by how they worked – just the three of them – to keep every customer smiling, every drink full and every diner engaged in conversation. They all grinned from ear to ear, knew most patrons by name and picked up right where their coworkers left off.
I wish it had been slower so I could have gotten the ladies’ names, but the woman working the grill was a multi-tasker, if I ever saw one. While she cooked, she found time to deliver food, refill drinks and give each guest a personal hello. While our burgers were cooking, she assured us she was putting “one tasty tomato” on them. That, as readers of this column know, was music to my ears.
She wasn’t lying about the tomato, and the server was on point about the burger, too. It was thick and juicy; the onion was sweet, not too potent; and the tomato was, in fact, one of the tastiest I’ve had this year. Meg and I shared a basket of fries, which were good, but I didn’t eat many of them. I wanted to finish every bite of that burger that I possibly could.
Ryan let me taste his meatloaf, and I felt horrible for having judged it by its name. Covered in tomatoes, onions and peppers, the Creole sauce wasn’t nearly as spicy as I’d imagined. The meatloaf was moist and the seasoning was flavorful. I loved my burger, but I wish I’d gotten one of the daily specials for myself. I was intent on cleaning my plate, so I didn’t taste his side items. But when he
cleaned his, I had to assume it was all fantastic.
Zarzour’s is only open Monday through Friday from 11 to 2, but I highly recommend going if you ever get the chance. Located at 1627 Rossville Avenue, it is tucked behind Chattanooga’s No. 1 Fire Hall. On any given day, you can expect to be dining among white-collar and blue-collar patrons, and everything in between. When you step in the door, you feel right at home. Perhaps it’s the nostalgia of the place, but I think it has more to do with the way everyone inside – diners and employees alike – accepts you, just as you are.
I definitely plan to revisit Zarzour’s. I’m excited to see what else pops up on the daily special entrée menu, and I’m even more excited to try one of their homemade cakes or pies. Or both.
Contact Samara at samara@hamiltoncountyherald.com.
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