My general rule is to not feature places that primarily serve beer and wine unless they offer a substantial enough food menu to make it worth stopping in. For a long time, Casual Pint’s East Tennessee locations didn’t offer food, but now many of their locations do, so on Independence Day, myself and my spouse from The Grub decided to stop by the local chain’s North Shore location to check out the delicious food.
The two-page menu is filled with classic pub fare staples like chicken quesadillas, beer cheese pretzels, and hummus flatbread. There are also three varieties of beer-fried Sidewinder fries. My nose caught the Southwest Egg Roll ($12), a deep-fried egg roll stuffed with chicken, cheese, black beans, corn, and jalapeños. The description reminded me a little of Sullivan’s Chimi Roller, a dish I used to frequently order at the restaurant.
The flatbreads come in several options, including chicken bacon ranch, spicy Thai, basil pesto chicken, buffalo, pepperoni, caprese, and a Tex-Mex twist featuring chicken and Boom Boom sauce. My spouse ordered the BBQ ($12), a classic pizza recipe with chicken and barbecue sauce topped with mozzarella, bacon, onions, and jalapeños.
The menu also includes wraps, salads (four varieties of each), and bone-in and boneless chicken wings. I was drawn to the sandwiches: beef hot dogs, a chicken sandwich, three types of burgers, and several kinds of sausage. But what finally won me over was the German sausage ($14), a beer-battered sausage topped with sauerkraut and whole-grain mustard and served in a pretzel bun.
By the way, each item on the menu comes with a graphic icon suggesting beer pairings by category (light and refreshing, hoppy, fruit and spice, dark and roasted, malty). Of course, I started my meal with a beer from the tap, which flows 22 local and domestic brands most days of the week (I prefer hoppy beers, so I didn’t stick to the pairing suggestions). We sat at a table in the main bar area, which looks similar to the decor of most other casual pint joints I’ve visited.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
For some reason the so called appetizers came out at the same time as the flatbread and the sausages didn’t come out until a few minutes later, but we adapted to the order of service and ate the dishes one by one as they came out.
The Southwest Egg Roll was a great way to start the meal. The dough was hot and crispy, and the combination of ingredients was truly reminiscent of a South American dining experience. For me, it wasn’t as good as Sullivan’s Chimi Roller, but I wasn’t complaining.
The German sausages and flatbreads each had their own unique flavor. I especially loved the soft pretzel rolls encasing the plump sausage links, and if you’re a sauerkraut lover (like me), you’ll love the sauerkraut (and mustard) flavor that accentuates the sausage. I chose the bacon and sour cream potato salad as a side (over Italian pasta salad, potato chips, chips and salsa, or a side salad), which was probably the strongest dish of the night. The potatoes were the perfect consistency, and the inclusion of these non-traditional ingredients really made it stand out.
I actually preferred the flatbread a little more than the brat: the crust was thin but not too crunchy, and the blend of chicken, cheese, barbecue sauce, bacon and onion made for a satisfying pizza.
This isn’t my first time at a Casual Pint location. I have a certain group of friends that I’ve met up with many times in the past. While I probably won’t go back just for the food, it’s nice to know there are enough food options to go with your beer without having to order from Soccer Taco next door. Casual Pint regulars should definitely consider the food service as an upgrade.
Casual drinks on the North Shore
Food: 3.75
Service: 3.75
Ambiance: 3.75
Overall rating: 3.75
Address: 2045 Thunderhead Road
Phone: 865-248-3151
Beer service only
Opening hours: Sunday-Thursday 11am-10pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-11pm
