Soup, there it is!

White is beginning to form on the tips of the mountains and fires are starting to warm houses as we prep for a cold winter here in Knoxville, TN. The leaves have turned shades and are making their way to the ground as everyone puts away their summer dresses and breaks out their scarves and mittens. 

Here at Northshore Brasserie we keep our restaurant warm and our food hot. We invite you to come in from the cold and warm up with our famous steak frites or a warm bowl of one of our featured soups. Soups are a staple here, which is why you'll always find a chef inspired soup included in our lunch buffet. 

Like most of our food selections, our soups are chef inspired and are always changing. From loaded potato soup to our broth based stews, our soup selections are sure to warm you up while still having an abundance of flavor. One most popular soup selection is our tomato bisque. Pair it with one of our light lunch sandwich options or as a starter to one of our more heartier meat entrees. Featured fall soups are always a hit, from French onion soup to sweet potato bisque, our chefs are always working on providing you with your favorite soups with a splash of culinary creativity!  

Whether you are traveling for work and need a quick but quality place to enjoy a bite to eat or if you are searching for a menu with a flavor for French and Belgian cuisine, we are sure to have the perfect item to hit the spot. We invite you to take off your gloves and settle down with us for a warm soup that is sure to comfort you during this East Tennessee winter!

Local Farm to Table Menu Selections

Northshore fine dining meets farm fresh when you dine at this local hotspot! No matter if you are craving French favorites like steak frites, rack of lamb, or fresh seafood, we are sure to have a meal that hits the spot! In addition to having healthy food selections and the best brunch in Knoxville, we also take great pride in supporting our local farmers! Farm to Table is a growing demand in today’s society, but local farm to table takes our menu to a whole new quality of cuisine.

This Knoxville brunch hotspot is proud to work with local farmers such as: 

Hines Valley Farms – Hines Valley Farms is USDA organic farm located near Lenoir City. Owner John Ledbetter takes great pride in this farm’s USDA certification, ensuring that all of his produce is free of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.

Spencer Mountain Mennonite Farms – This farm is one of the largest local producers in the area. Known for their wide variety of vegetables, this farm ensures that all of their vegetable selections are garden fresh!

Circle V Poultry – Circle V Poultry is where we buy our eggs, a huge ingredient in the preparation of any meal. This local poultry farm raises pasteurized chickens and ensures their eggs are collected and packaged fresh from the hen house.

These are just a few of the local farmers we support. It is through our strong ties and support of our farming community that we can truly keep our menu and ingredients farm fresh. Even if you stop by for our quick lunch buffet, you are still guaranteed farm fresh quality in every bite. Dine with us, and support local farmers!

Fine Dining Takes on Fish Friday

Although we are known for our upscale cuisine and fine dining, we also pride ourselves on making mundane weekdays have a splash – a splash of flavor that is!

When most people think of “Fish Friday” they think about their neighbor’s occasional crawfish boil or their hometown restaurant’s fried catfish special. On the contrary, our chefs take great culinary pride in our featured fish selections that takes Fish Friday to a five-star level.

Our Fish Friday’s are perfect for those looking for a Knoxville upscale dining establishment or simply grabbing a delicious bite before heading to Tyson Mcghee Airport (located only nine miles away). Our chefs pride themselves on using fresh and local ingredients to prepare an always-changing Friday Fish Feature.

In the past, we have had entrees such as lobster, whole snapper, swordfish, black bass, scallops and bass. As for the details of these tasty fish selections, that all just depends on what culinary genius our chefs create that week!

If you don’t prefer our Fish Friday selection, we also have a great lunch buffet that merges upscale dining with the efficiency of a 30 minute in-and-out lunch option. Our all you can eat lunch buffet is only $9.99 (including a beverage) and a featured seafood option.  If neither of these options tickle your fancy, our French and Belgian food selections are sure to capture your eye! 

The Best Lunch is an Endless One

Are you looking for a place to host a reasonably priced client lunch? Or, just a go-to place to grab a bite to eat?  Northshore Brasserie is not only conveniently located off Pelissippi Parkway, but is also a local favorite widely renowned for our affordable and appetizing lunch buffet. At only $10.95 (yes, including your drink) Monday through Friday, you can enjoy our fresh and limitless buffet that varies daily. You also have the selection to either enjoy your lunch inside in our business casual environment, or in the shade on our outside dining patio.

Our daily poached fish, quiche, chilled salads and soup serve as an ever-changing surprise from the chefs. Meanwhile our grilled chicken, chocolate chip cookies, fresh fruit, salad bar and limitless bread and butter are the constants that allow you to always have your staple, "go-to" lunch options.

Whether you try the same thing every time, or make a habit of sampling the featured selection of the day on each visit, you're sure to find something to love when you visit Northshore Brasserie for lunch. The best part about the whole buffet is you can go back as many times as you wish. This chef inspired lunch buffet is a Knoxville must, and so is our creamy parmesian dressing!

Brasserie named one of "Five Great Restaurants for Romantic Dining"

In a recent article from the Knoxville News Sentinel, Northshore Brasserie is proud to have been named one of their five great restaurants for romantic dining.

The News Sentinel suggests that "a good bet would be to try some French favorites like the onion soup gratinee, iron skillet escargot or pomme frites, and entrees including duck confit, bouillabaisse, rabbit, lamb shank, and roasted half chicken."  What can we say other than "we agree!"  Try them all! 

The Sentinel was also keen to mention the Brasserie's famous Cheeseburger (served with pommes frites of course) and while we aren't sure how romantic sharing a cheeseburger is, we would suggest that there's really only one way to find out. 

You can read the full article at the Knoxville News Sentinel website here:

http://www.knoxnews.com/story/entertainment/dining/2017/02/03/five-great-restaurants-romantic-dining-knoxville-maryville/97004398/

A New Schedule for the New Year

Sunday afternoons are the perfect time to relax. After a long week, it’s nice to treat yourself to a restful nap, a few hours of watching sports, or some extra quality time with your family. And when the afternoon starts winding down, there’s no need to worry about dinner, not if you make plans to eat at The Northshore Brasserie. You’ll have all the extra time you need to run errands and get ready for the busy week ahead of you, by letting us do the cooking for you!

We are purveyors of fine French cuisine, and our hearty, delicious food is available for lunch and dinner six days a week. And now we’re pleased to announce that we’ll be open on Sunday evenings in the New Year! Starting January 3rd, we’ll be open every Sunday from 4-9, with seats in the bar available at 3. Please note that with our new hours, we’ll no longer be serving Sunday Brunch. But don’t forget that you can call anytime during business hours and order anything from our entire menu, to-go!

Our regular Mon-Sat. hours are still 11-3 for lunch; and 3-10 for dinner. Come experience chef inspired dishes in a relaxed, yet elegant atmosphere, close to Knoxville's Tyson McGhee Airport.

Northshore Brasserie: A Traveling Employees Ideal Food Destination

Here you are again, on a commercial plane flying to your newly assigned work destination. While the plane is taxiing to the gate, you turn on your iPhone and begin searching Google Maps for a place to grab some food before the work agenda begins. (Nothing less than four stars because this is 100% going down as a travel expense!)

While exiting Tyson McGhee Airport, you find your food destination. Rated one of the best restaurants in the area, and a menu filled to the brim with French cuisine – nothing could suit this day better.

Getting in your Uber, you tell the driver your dining destination. On the ride, he mentions that he too considers this location to be one of the nice restaurants in the area. After a brief ride with some good southern conversation, the driver briefly yells as you exit the car, “Don’t forget to try their lunch buffet! Their salad dressing is life!” Chuckling to yourself, you make your way towards the door – excited for a satisfying meal that is sure to get this work trip off to the right start. From experience, you know nothing is worse than meeting clients with a grumbling stomach.

Traveling for work can be seen as a detriment, but it could also be a culinary experience. Stop fretting about being away from home and take a bite out of something new!

Want to Cook Like the French?

These days you don’t have to travel to France, or even Canada, in order to learn how to cook French cuisine. Thanks to popular TV cooking shows, like French Food at Home, and The French Chef, starring the late Julia Child, you can attempt to create your own French feast from the comfort of your own kitchen. There are also numerous websites filled with famous French recipes that you can try to replicate at home. From Beef Bourguignon to Crème Brûlée, you can find nearly every delicious French dish you’ve ever heard of, simply by searching the internet.

Of course there will still be times when you’d rather let someone else do the cooking, and on those occasions, you’ll want to come eat with us at The Northshore Brasserie. We are purveyors of fine French cuisine, and our hearty, delicious food is available for lunch and dinner six days a week, as well as brunch on Sundays. Come experience chef inspired dishes in a relaxed, yet elegant atmosphere, close to the Knoxville airport—and let our sophisticated fare inspire you to go home and try more French cooking. Au revoir!

You gotta try our Hors D'oeuvres

At Northshore Brasserie, we're well known for our classic French brasserie fare such as Steak Frites or our amazing duck, lamb, and seafood based dishes. But many people don't know that we have some incredible hors d'oeuvres as well.  You may call them starters or appetizers... we don't mind, just give them a shot. 

For starters... there's our French Onion Soup (we call it Onion Soup Gratinee) and it is... well, amazing.  Rich, hearty, bold, and flavorful.  We also feature a couple of small plate salads that are a perfect start to your meal (a spinach salad and also our famous Brasserie salad).

If you're looking for something a little more substantial than a salad, you may want to try our Iron Skillet Escargots, our Calamari Steak, or our Fried Oysters.

We also feature a Charcuterie Plate perfect for sharing with the whole table.

On your next visit, why not start your meal with some of Knoxville's best appetizers / starters / hors d'oeuvres. Call them whatever you like... we just call them GOOD! 
 

Northshore Brasserie is now on Open Table

For your convenience, you may now make reservations at Northshore Brasserie using Open Table.  Reservations are available for lunch or dinner, 7 days a week. 

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Thanks for the mention Hip Green Scene!

Fine Dining Near the Knoxville Airport

If you are visiting Knoxville, TN for either business or pleasure and find yourself staying near McGhee Tyson Airport, you may notice that it seems like your only dining options are an endless row of fast food joints.  While these are what immediately surround our airport, if you're willing to drive just a few minutes further, there are far better choices to be made.

We would like to invite you to come try the Northshore Brasserie, one of Knoxville's best restaurants and only a ten minute drive from McGhee Tyson airport.  That's not a trick where we say ten minutes and it's really twenty-five.  It's really only ten minutes.  We're very close, and we would love to have you come try one of our famous burgers, hand cut steaks (served with frites of course), our incredible lunch buffet, or any of our other homemade French Belgian cuisine.

Our atmosphere is comfortable and relaxed, yet elegant and refined. We aim to create an unpretentious, vibrant atmosphere and you'll find folks from all walks of life gathered on any given evening in the Brasserie.

So come eat with us. We're really only 10 minutes away, and we would love to see you. 

For driving directions, please click here.

REAL Certified Restaurant

The Northshore Brasserie is “REAL Certified" as part of Knoxville’s inaugural class of REAL Certified foodservice establishments.

“We are proud to officially certify these Knoxville food establishments that are helping shift the local dining environment to be more healthful,” said Eat REAL Tennessee Project Manager, Nikkole Turner. “This program recognizes and identifies restaurants that provide holistic cuisine using transparent and sustainable sourcing practices.”

Responsible Epicurean and Agricultural Leadership (REAL) is a growing national program under the United States Health Food Council (USHFC) that helps combat diet-related disease by recognizing foodservice operators committed to holistic nutrition and environmental stewardship.

The Northshore Brasserie is “REAL Certified" as part of Knoxville’s inaugural class of REAL Certified foodservice establishments.

“We are proud to officially certify these Knoxville food establishments that are helping shift the local dining environment to be more healthful,” said Eat REAL Tennessee Project Manager, Nikkole Turner. “This program recognizes and identifies restaurants that provide holistic cuisine using transparent and sustainable sourcing practices.”

Responsible Epicurean and Agricultural Leadership (REAL) is a growing national program under the United States Health Food Council (USHFC) that helps combat diet-related disease by recognizing foodservice operators committed to holistic nutrition and environmental stewardship.

Trip Advisor Recommended fine-dining in Knoxville, TN

Listen to what some recent customers of Northshore Brasserie have had to say about their visit to our restaurant:

“Went there for an early dinner on Friday night. My husband and I agreed that this is the best meal from start to finish that we have ever had...and we dine out a lot. We snacked on the crusty bread and slightly sweet herbed butter. Nice! We both started with French onion soup which was really good. I had pork tenderloin with cherries on a bed of sweet potato hash. Pork was tender enough to cut with a fork and it paired well with the cherries and the perfectly caramelized sweet potatoes. Excellent. My husband had salmon topped with Apple chutney on a bed of greens and polenta. He said it was the best salmon he ever had and he spent a good deal of his career with a seafood company. Service was just right - not intrusive but always there when needed or wanted. If I have to find some room for improvement — and I had to stretch to find it! — it is that the soup could have used a touch more salt but that is such a personal preference that it shouldn’t matter at all. ”

— tripadvisor.com review

“The oysters, right now from the Chesapeake Bay, are quite good, nutty and briney. The steak tartare is one of my favorites, better than any I’ve had in Paris. I also recommend the calamari steak with tomato jam. The restaurant also offers a wonderful Frisée Lyonnaise. I dine here often because of the great food and friendly staff.”

— tripadvisor.com review

“Great service, wonderful food, pleasant environment, and only a short ride from home or the Knoxville airport. Why have we not been going here for years? I don’t know, but we’ll be making the Northshore Brasserie a regular for dining out. Our server, Shaunda, was both professional and delightful. The food including boulliabaise, mussels, steak and plenty of frites was all outstanding. Our party of four enjoyed a leisurely meal in every respect. They have a reputation for fine-dining but we found the atmosphere to be very comfortable and relaxed. Definitely one of the best restaurants in West Knoxville and without a doubt the best restaurant near Northshore / Peilissippi. ”

— tripadvisor.com review

Come Eat With Us

Whether you live in Knoxville, TN or are just passing through, Northshore Brasserie is one of the best fine dining experiences in the area. Consistently listed among the best restaurants in Knoxville, Northshore Brasserie is located on Northshore Drive and is conveniently located just minutes away from Knoxville’s McGhee Tyslon Airport.

Northsore Brasserie is a small, family-owned and operated restaurant obsessed with food, quality and memorable customer service. Whether you're looking for a nice restaurant for Sunday brunch, a romantic dinner for two, or the perfect spot for a lunch time business meeting, you'll fall in love with our relaxed yet refinedatmosphere and our fantastic French inspired cuisine.

Located only twelve minutes from the Knoxville airport, just head North on Alcoa Highway, turn right to merge onto I-140 West and take exit 5 onto Northshore Drive. The Brasserie is just off the exit on the right hand side. 

So next time you’re in Knoxville, TN, whether getting together with old friends, visiting family, or meeting with colleagues, we would love to have you gather around our table at Northshore Brasserie. Come eat with us.

When Exactly Did Breakfast And Lunch Become ‘Brunch’?

Brunch; such a lovely sounding word, conjuring up mouth-watering images of lavish spreads designed to keep hunger at bay until dinner, and a word that somehow sounds far more refined than breakfast or lunch. Brunch has become something of a culinary tradition, and not just in the US, but when were the words ‘breakfast’ and ‘lunch’ first combined to create brunch?

Well, it would appear that there is no unequivocal evidence of exactly when brunch was first created and enjoyed. There are those who believe it to have originated among the English upper classes in the 19th century, where it was designed as a means of feeding the huntsmen after a hard fought morning hunt. The huntsmen’s tired taste buds were tickled with a vast array of meats, egg dishes and alcoholic beverages during an early lunch, after which many of them would snooze the afternoon away and rise again for their evening meal. Then there are others who suggest that it arose when Catholics used to fast before mass and would then sit down to a slap up feast.

Evidence to support the theory of brunch having originated in England, lies in the first known appearance of the word in a British publication entitled ‘Hunter’s Weekly’, in 1895. The piece was written by a man named Guy Beringer, in which he promotes the benefits of a light meal with friends on a Sunday, instead of the more traditional large, late and heavy meals commonly served in households throughout the United Kingdom. The article was reprinted by the world renowned British Periodical ‘Punch’ and many believe that this was when brunch as a concept, really took hold and became popular in England. The trend was then picked up in the States in the late 1920’s, with Chicago being the first known city to promote brunch in its restaurants. The elegant hotel, The Ambassador, was home to the Pump Room which quickly became a popular Sunday mid- morning brunch haunt of the rich and famous.

Then there was World War II, and with fewer people attending church, the public wanted something else to do to pass the time. Instead of saying prayers and singing hymns, people began spending their Sunday mornings relaxing with friends and family, and brunch seemed a far more convivial way to sit, eat and be merry together. Convenience foods had not long been on the scene either, helping to make brunch a less laborious task.

Social changes in America played a part in the popularity of brunch, too, as after urbanization and industrialization, Sundays became the only real day in which families could spend some quality time together. There was also an influx of married women looking for work after the war, and after a hard week’s graft, the last thing these ladies wanted to do was slave over an oven for hours on end; instead they would dine out and have brunch in local restaurants.

So there we have it, the history of the brunch in brief, and if you haven’t been for one yet, well why ever not; you don’t know what you’re missing!

We'll just leave this here...

Chicken & Parisian Dumplings. Yes.

A Basic Guide To Pairing Food and Wine

You don’t have to be a wine connoisseur or even a true foodie, to appreciate the concept of pairing wine with food, and once you’ve mastered a few of the basics behind successful pairings, your dining experience will become a whole lot more enjoyable.

The main and most basic principle of pairings is that certain elements in both wine and food, such as texture and taste, interact with each other; below are a few tips to help you find the right combination:

Think about the main characteristics of your chosen meal

• Does it have a mild flavor, or is it highly seasoned and flavorful?
• Is the food rich or slightly more acidic?
• Is it quite lean or very fatty?

Once you’ve considered the above, you’ll need to think about choosing a wine that will balance the flavors:

• Try to match up mild foods with wines that are mild in taste, and likewise with flavorful foods; try to match them with big, flavorful wines. A pepper steak is a dish with big flavors, so it will need to be paired with a bold red such as Zinfandel, which also has spicy undertones. A creamy, rich chicken dish would need to match up with a rich wine like Chardonnay. 

Then, you will want to consider pairing your food with a wine that will cleanse your palate:

• A steak meal is generally quite fatty and rich, and so a red wine with good tannins in it, will help to cleanse your palate and refresh your mouth
• A very fatty and rich meal like fried chicken, will pair best with a crisp and acidic wine, such as a Sauvignon Blanc
• Tannins can come from grape skins or even the barrels that the wine may have been aged in, and they have an astringent flavor that helps to remove the fats from your tongue that have built up when consuming rich food. Removing the fats then makes your palate feel refreshed and cleansed, leaving you ready to tackle your next course. 

Think next about matching acids with acids:

• Dishes like Shrimp and lemon or a simple pasta and tomato sauce, will have a fairly high acid content and so need to be paired with wines that can match this
• Take note that dishes with a rich and creamy sauce will not pair well with acidic wines, like Sauvignon Blanc, the two will almost have a curdling effect 

Consider the type of food you’re going to eat

• If the dish you’re going to eat is strongly spiced, such as may be the case if you’re eating Asian food, you may want to avoid drinking wine with it as the flavors may not work well together and spoil the flavor of the wine. If you really want to drink wine with a spicy meal, then something like an off dry Riesling might be the best choice, as it is also a little sweet and spicy.

In general, you’ll find that foods from a particular country will be best paired with a wine from that country, too. This isn’t a hard, fast rule, but may help to simplify the process for those who are new to the concept of food pairings.

Choosing Wine in a Restaurant

Some wine lists in restaurants are longer than War and Peace, while others feature minimal choices which can leave you equally as baffled. Unless you’re a wine connoisseur, choosing the right one can often seem a tricky task, especially if you and the other dinner guests have selected different meals, possess different budgets and have differing tastes in wine. At the very worst, having to select the wine can put you under unnecessary pressure and spoil what should really be a pleasurable occasion. 

So just how do you go about choosing wine in a restaurant? 

• Firstly, take your time to make sense of the wine menu

Try and work out how the listings are arranged so that making your selection is simplified. Are they listed by color, country, region or type? Once you’ve established that, you can begin to narrow down your options. 

• Determine which wine(s) the other diners would prefer

Asking the others at your table if they prefer white wine or red, is a good place to start, and if you have a mix of those who like white, red or even rose, then you can select a bottle of each depending on how many will be drinking it and how thirsty they might be! They may also have a preference, in which case you can look for it on the list and order it if it’s there. Failing that, asking the waiter or sommelier (wine expert) for their recommendations would be sensible, too. Having an idea of your budget will help narrow down the options as well. 

A small example of some popular wines found in restaurants is listed below: 

Red wines (easy drinking and inexpensive)  - Beaujolais

                      (bold)                                            - California red Zinfandel

                      (light)                                            - Pinot noir

White wines (dry)                                              - Soave, Pinot Grigio

                 (full bodied)                                      - Chardonnay

                 (medium dry)                                   - Chenin Blanc or Riesling

• Take your food choices into account

Even a novice wine drinker will know that there are certain foods that pair well with certain wines, and even if you don’t know, doubtless one of the other diners would appreciate that fact. The waiter or sommelier would certainly be able to show you which wines would complement the types of foods you have chosen. For example, spicy foods can be paired with sweet white wines like Riesling, while woodier wines with a little more depth of flavor, such as Chardonnay, would suit creamy or seasoned dishes. A strong red wine like a Chianti, Bordeaux or Burgundy complements a juicy steak. 

• Once you’ve made your selection, you’ll be asked to taste it

When the waiter brings the chosen wine(s) to the table, as the selector, you will be asked to taste it and this is more about ensuring that the wine has not been ‘corked’ and tastes as it should. You will soon know if the wine is ‘off’, and if it is and the waiter or manager concurs, then of course you will not be charged for it but will be presented with another bottle and a fresh glass