Local restaurants taking reservations for Easter dinner
Reservations are now being accepted for Easter dinner in restaurants around town, so here’s a pick of some favorite eateries that always offer buffets or Easter specials that go beyond their traditional menus.
› The Chattanoogan, 1201 Broad St. The Chattanoogan ballroom will have an elegant Easter brunch featuring buffets filled with pastries, salads, shrimp cocktail, French toast, poached eggs, and that’s not all. There will be a salmon and grits, chicken scaloppini, an omelet station, a carving station with smoked spice honey beef brisket and desserts galore. And here’s something special for the kids: A petting zoo of bunnies from Bagby’s Critter Corral will entertain the young ones from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Price: $45 adults, $22 children 5-12; complimentary for kids under 5. Hours: 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Reservations: 423-424-3700.
› The Acropolis, 2213 Hamilton Place Blvd. Easter is a time for lamb, and in observance of the day, Acropolis will offer leg of lamb with lemon potatoes and roasted zucchini ($15), braised lamb shank over parmesan risotto, with grilled asparagus ($20) and tender, succulent lamb chops over roasted red potatoes with sauteed squash and mint ($22). The traditional menu will be offered as well, featuring the restaurant’s delicious maindish salads, seafood entrees and more. Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Phone: 423-899-5341.
› Easy Bistro, 203 Broad St. In addition to its regular menu, Easy will offer three specials for the day: brisket tostada with avocado, pico de gallo, cabbage and radish ($13); pork belly skillet with poached egg, greens, potatoes and hollandaise sauce ($16); and Pickett’s Farm trout with frisee, bacon and lemon ($15). Easter dinner hours are 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Phone: 423-266-1121.
› Embargo 62, 301 Cherokee Blvd., and Ceniza, 9454 Bradmore Lane, Ooltewah. These sister restaurants are best known for their distinctive Cuban/Caribbean menus. But this Easter, they’ll
be serving a taste of the South with chicken brined in sweet tea, boursin mashed potatoes and green beans ($15). And for dessert, strawberry tres leches with coconut cream ($6.50). Phone: 423-5514786 for Embargo, 423-7604198 for Ceniza.
› Back Inn Cafe, 412 E. Second St. The cafe will serve an array of a la carte Easter entrees, including Bananas Foster French Toast ($12); chicken and cornbread waffle sandwich ($14); Creole shrimp and grits ($19) Rembrandt’s Roasting Co. New York Strip ($28); and many more mouthwatering entrees, not to mention a number of house-made desserts. Weather permitting, the patio will be open for al fresco dining. Hours: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Phone: 423265-5033, ext. 4.
› 1885 Grill, 314 St. Elmo Ave. In addition to its regular brunch menu, 1885 will feature grilled lamb lollipops with tomato-mint glaze, sweet potato hash and sauteed broccoli; and eggs Bernadine — poached eggs on English muffins with fried green tomato, baked ham and grilled asparagus covered with Hollandaise sauce. Hours: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Phone: 423-485-3050.
› Feed Co. Table + Tavern, 201 W. Main St. In addition to the regular menu, King Crab omelet with creme fraiche ($16) and Coca-Cola-braised ham with eggs, breakfast potatoes and asparagus ($14) will be served. And if Easter dinner is more your thing, the menu will also feature Niman Ranch rack of lamb with a cherry reduction, French green beans and buttermilk-whipped potatoes (market price). Phone: 423708-8500.
I don’t think there’s a better way to enjoy a quiet Sunday morning than with a cup of coffee and something sweet to start the day. On Easter Sunday, it will be this delicious pullapart bread from Fleischmann’s, a nice change from all the heavy cinnamon rolls of winter.
Lemon Pull-Apart Bread
Bread:
2 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon lemon zest 2 1⁄2-3 cups all-purpose
flour
1 packet Fleischmann’s
RapidRise Yeast
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
3⁄4 cup water 3 tablespoons butter
1 egg
Filling:
3⁄4 cup sugar 2 tablespoons lemon zest 2 tablespoons butter, very
soft
1⁄4 cup butter, melted
Lemon Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar 1 tablespoon butter,
softened
2 tablespoons milk 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1⁄2 tablespoon lemon zest
Combine sugar and lemon zest in a bowl, and rub it together with your fingers until the zest is interspersed through the sugar.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 1 cup of the flour, the lemon sugar, dry yeast and salt, and stir until combined. Combine the water and the butter in a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on high in 15-second increments until it is very warm, but not hot to the touch (120 to 130 degrees — the butter won’t melt completely). Add the mixture to the bowl with the flour.
Beat the mixture for 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add 1 more cup of flour, then beat another 2 minutes on high, scraping the bowl occasionally. Add in just enough of the remaining flour so that the dough will form into a ball.
Lightly flour a work surface, then knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic and it springs back when lightly touched with 2 fingers, 6 to 8 minutes. Cover with a towel and let the dough sit for 10 minutes.
Spray a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
For the filling, combine the sugar and the lemon zest, and rub it together with your fingers until the zest is interspersed through the sugar. Measure out 1⁄4 cup of the mixture, and set aside.
Roll the dough into a long rectangle, 7 by 24 inches long. Spread the 2 tablespoons of soft butter evenly over the surface of the dough. Sprinkle the reserved 1⁄4 cup of sugar/lemon mixture evenly over the butter. Beginning at the long end of the rectangle, roll it up tightly. Pinch the seams to seal. Cut the dough into 24 equal slices. Dip each slice into the melted butter, then into the remaining lemon sugar mixture. Place the slices in the prepared loaf pan.
Cover the pan with a towel, and let it sit in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size, 45-60 minutes. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the loaf until the bread is golden brown, 25-35 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate.
In a bowl, beat the powdered sugar, butter, milk, lemon juice and lemon zest together until smooth and creamy. Drizzle the icing over the warm loaf.
Contact Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress. com.