This week our search for the best tacos in Chatt Town brought us Twin Peaks Restaurant in East Ridge.
Wait, wasn’t Twin Peaks a bizarre and twisting mystery TV series that aired in the 1990’s about a detective solving a murder case or am I just showing my age?
It was and I am showing my age, but this Twin Peaks is a huge hunting lodge type restaurant off Camp Jordan Parkway behind Bass Pros Shops.
Okay, I know this isn’t a Mexican Restaurant.
I know Twin Peaks is known for their scantily dressed servers, their bar food and ice-cold beer and being a sports bar, but they also have mighty fine street tacos.
Smoked brisket or chicken street tacos to be exact. Or smoked brisket quesabirrias tacos served with consommé for dipping.
If you’re wondering how I found out Twin Peaks served tacos, it’s because I was looking for a decent chicken wing place. The Hooters on Brainerd Road closed abruptly a few weeks ago. I happen to be among the few people who like breaded chicken wings. Most restaurants serve their chicken wings naked. Someone mentioned that I should look up Twin Peaks because they offered breaded chicken wings and while looking over the menu I saw they had taco options.
On their appetizer menu they list crispy mini beef tacos. Those are three house fried tortillas topped with spicy ground beef, pepper jack cheese pico-de-gallo, sour cream and cilantro.
The other taco options are made with in-house smoked brisket or chicken on top of warm corn tortillas and topped with pico-de-gallo, cilantro, and onions. They are served with a fire roasted habanero sauce and a lime wedge.
Their quesabirrias tacos are made with smoked brisket, mozzarella, onions and cilantro and served with broth, pickled red onions, lime wedge and grilled pineapple. Chips and fire roasted salsa are served on the side. They recently added sweet heat shrimp tacos to the menu with jumbo fried shrimp covered in a sweet and spicy sauce, drizzled with lime crema, avocado smash, pickled red onions, cabbage slaw, and cilantro.
I ordered the smoked brisket street tacos and was impressed. There was a ton of brisket in each taco. The fire roasted habanero sauce wasn’t as spicy as I thought it would be and complimented the smoked brisket perfectly. The meat was tender. The smoke was there but it didn’t overpower the flavor.
For an American sports bar, they did a good job of creating great street tacos.
Of course, I did go back and got the six-piece breaded chicken wings with the classic Buffalo sauce and a Caesar salad as my side.
Yeah, I was trying to be a bit healthy.
The wings were dynamite (heat pun intended). The reason I prefer breaded wings is the breading soaks up the sauce. It makes a thick coating whereas a naked wing leaves more sauce on your fingers. Their classic Buffalo is about 7 out of 10 in terms of heat.
The Caesar salad was delicious. The dressing was authentic. I could subtly taste the anchovies, and it was creamy and zesty.
Twin Peaks also offers double stacked nachos, smoked chicken quesadillas, chipotle queso and chips and fire roasted salsa and chips.
Sometimes it’s nice to go to a restaurant where you can order a smash burger, flat bread pizza, chicken wings, Nashville Hot chicken, Philly cheesesteak, lobster roll, or Mexican street tacos made with in-house smoked brisket or chicken.
Of course, Twin Peaks has a full liquor bar, and they promise to serve beers at 29 degrees. That is truly ice-cold.
Twin Peaks Chattanooga
- 500 Camp Jordan Parkway, Chattanooga
- (423) 771-7068
- twinpeaksrestaurant.com/locations/chattanooga
- $$ - $$$
What’s your favorite taco place and why? Send me an email at Pattyl@brewermediagroup.com