Chicken Caesar Salad is one of the lunch items offered at Stroud’s Deli, located on Broad Street in the corner of the Chattanoogan complex.ANNE BRALY: Stroud’s is one of those restaurants that’s off the beaten track. I mean, it’s on a busy street with cars buzzing by, but it’s just a bit too far away from downtown’s busy foot-traffic area, making it a little more of a hike than some other eateries downtown. However, when we walked in, I noticed a couple dozen paper sacks on the counter, ready to be filled with take-out orders that had been faxed and called in. And then there were the others who came in, like us, to place orders at the counter. All, except us, were bound for take-out. Good thing, as this is a tiny place meant mostly for take-out. We took the only table, a three-top. Other seats can be found at a narrow counter that lines the front window. Stroud’s stayed busy during our entire lunch, with mostly TVA people. What a convenient place for them. But if the food weren’t good, that wouldn’t matter. Luckily. the food is really good.
My chicken Caesar was prepared for take-out, though we ate in. So, it came in a box that had me underestimating the amount of salad it could hold. I was amazed at the amount of fresh Romaine, chicken and unbelievable amount of shredded Parmesan the box contained. The Caesar salad dressing was thick and excellent. All told, this salad was as good as any you’d get in a formal restaurant setting.
HOLLY LEBER: I’d never been in Stroud’s before, and that’s too bad because it’s a really cute little place with friendly and efficient women behind the counter. There’s also a lot of bang for the buck here, though that’s also related to the (Adventures in Dining) coupon I had, but let’s just say I got enough food for lunch, dinner and another lunch.
In related news, my poultry embargo has been lifted a bit, which was helpful in the form of chicken soup when I was sick last week. Still in quasi-recovery mode, I opted for the chicken-rice soup, which was hot and pleasant, but could have used a bit more rice and a bit less milk. Yes, milk. I’ve never heard of milk in soup unless it’s meant to be a creamy soup. At least, I hope that’s what was making my soup kind of white. One of the ladies I asked said she guessed that’s what it was, but I wouldn’t swear to it.
ANNE: There are several meal deals from which to choose. I, too, had an Adventures in Dining coupon which allowed for two meal deals for the price of one. Quite a bargain. My salad came with one side. I chose the fruit salad, which in winter is a rather risky order. Ever taste cantaloupe in January? More akin to soggy cardboard. Luckily, the salad was a nice mix of strawberries, grapes and pineapple. Very sweet and pleasant. Another thing I like about Stroud’s is that it’s sandwich-shop gourmet in fast-food time. Perfect when lunch is on the run.