Sunspot

I love food and I love America. However, in my travels across this country I am usually disappointed in the sameness of it all. Mall Road in Florence Kentucky has the same restaurants as North Fairfield Road in Dayton which has the same restaurants as Kingston Pike in Knoxville which… well you get the idea.

Of course, the problem is that I just don’t know where to look. Or I’m worried that if I choose one of the local places it will suck. One of the things you know about a place like Red Lobster or the Olive Garden is that even though it won’t be anything to write home about, it probably won’t suck. However, I’m a firm believer in the whole variety is the spice of life thing so whenever I’m staying out of town the first thing I do is hit up the concierge and ask them, “I might only be here once. Where should I go and have a great meal?”

Usually that works wonders. However, another method I’ve used to some degree of success is to pick up the local city paper (like Cincinnati’s CityBeat) and check out the ads. Recently my wife found an ad in Knoxville’s Metro Pulse for a restaurant called Sunspot. Every Sunday Sunspot has a different brunch menu and well with a menu that promised “Our famous poached eggs over prosciutto ham and sauteed onions atop a lightly toasted foccacia bun. Finished with cracked black pepper hollandaise and served with zesty potatoes and a fresh fruit garnish” we knew we had to give it a shot.

We arrived at Sunspot around 10:30AM and were pleasantly surprised that we were seated immediately as my experience with restaurants on Sunday mornings usually involves a 45 minute wait amongst a crowd of churchgoers. The first thing we noticed was how cool the décor was. Each table had a plexiglass covering under which were a variety of themes. Our table had pictures of what appeared to be a beard and moustache contest. The winner of the contest had carved his muttonchops into something vaguely resembling the naked lady mudflaps seen on 18 wheelers. Awesome.

The waiter quickly came over and brought us some nachos, which were fantastic. The nachos themselves were great (just the right amount of saltiness and crispiness) but the salsa was outstanding. It was a green tomatilla salsa that I had never tasted before, but it was perfect. We easily pounded the first batch of nachos and were on our way through a second when our meal arrived.

The Eggs Sunspot (the meal I described above) was excellent. Not only was the presentation exquisite for the prices we were paying but the food was truly outstanding. My wife’s Pint’s Pumpkin Pancakes (“Three fluffy, golden brown pumpkin pancakes filled with butterscotch chips and topped with cinnamon sugar”) were great as well. They almost tasted like candy.

So of course this Sunday morning we check out the old Metro Pulse to see what Sunspot has on the menu this time. “Texas toast stuffed with a fried egg and topped with sautéed tomatoes, onions, spinach and prosciutto. Garnished with a jalapeno hollandaise and served with zesty potatoes and a fruit salad.” And let me tell you something. This was just as delicious as it sounded. If you know me, you know that I scarf down my food very quickly. About my 5th or 6th bite in I stopped and paused because the bite I had just taken was absolutely perfect. All the flavors present on the dish had come together wonderfully. I finished the meal around noon this time and I felt full until early evening. The meal was everything you could want in a Sunday Brunch.

So if you’re ever in Knoxville, be sure to stop in at Sunspot at 1909 Cumberland Ave. There phone number is 865-637-GOOD, and I assure you they are not lying.

The Mummy!

An American Hero: Robbed!

* This blog entry has been updated here

Like many of you last year I spent the 4th of July in front of the television anxiously awaiting the coming out party of a new American Hero. For six long years we had suffered embarrassing defeat at our own game at the hands of a foreign nation on our Independence Day! But no longer would we despair! 2006 would be the year that we would retain our crown as the greatest nation on the planet! The Mustard Belt was finally coming home to America!

For years Takeru Kobayashi had dominated Nathan's Hotdog Eating Contest. Despite the obesity epidemic sweeping the nation we were hopeless in the face of the jaws of Kobayashi. He sprang onto the scene in 2001, decimating the former record of 25 1/2 hot dogs by chowing down 50 hot dogs in 12 minutes. Kobayashi spent the next half-decade laying waste to the competition, destroying men twice his size in all manners of eating contests. He became more superhero than man:

He claimed five mustard belts in a row and the thought of someone taking him down seemed ludicrous.

Until the man they call Jaws emerged from San Jose, California. Joey Chestnut pounded over 30 some dogs in the 2005 contest, coming out of nowhere to finish 3^rd. He did nothing but improve the next year, winning several contests and being named Rookie of the Year by the Competitive Eating Association. As the 4^th of July approached, one began to sense a change in the winds. Could this be the year that the Mustard Belt returned home? Could Joey take down the legendary and immortal Kobayashi? Was this the birth of a new American Hero?

Finally the big day arrived. I remember firing up the grill to have a few hot dogs to watch the show. As noon approached I became more and more anxious. Finally, it was here! Joey entered to cheers from the crowd and the man from Tokyo was placed right beside him. The gun went off and as the competitors began to chow down the crowd began to chant USA USA! Today would be our day! After 10 minutes of exhilarating mano-a-mano combat, Joey was beating the Paul Bunyan of Competitive eating. Unfortunately, the contest lasted 12 minutes. With the resolution of a champion, Kobayashi stormed back and overtook Joey, setting a new World Record in the process with 53 ¾ hot dogs consumed and claiming his sixth Mustard Belt. Joey finished close behind with 52 hot dogs but a clear message had been sent. Kobayashi was no longer invincible.

All these signs pointed to an epic battle in 2007. Joey had continued to impress at various eating competitions around the world. He set the new world record for hot dogs eaten with 59 during a qualifying round. A showdown of monumental proportions would be occurring July 4^th and this time, the Mustard Belt would be coming back to the USA. However, yesterday news broke the Kobayashi’s body had finally broken under the years of punishment competitive eating had dished out. Arthritis in his powerful jaws was so severe he could barely open his mouth. His chances of participating in this year’s Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest seem bleak.

There is no doubt that Joey Chestnut will dominate the field this 4^th of July, to the cheers of thousands of Americans in New York, and millions more watching at home around the world. Yet, his victory will be hollow. The man, the myth, the legend that is Kobayashi will loom over the event, his absence minimizing Joey’s great achievement. In order to be the best you need to beat the best. I have no doubt that Joey wants nothing more than to stand before the mighty Kobayashi and crush him at his own game. It is unfortunate that fate has robbed him of his chance.