Lawless Eats: Lawless Eats
Eight seconds. That’s how long it takes for the smoky heat of Chandler’s hot barbecue sauce to work its way to your brain and set your soul on fire. According to Charles Chandler, the gracious owner of Chandler’s restaurant on Magnolia Avenue, his barbecue spare ribs are the best in the south, and though I’m no expert, I’m on his side.
Chandler’s is an East Knoxville staple, and on any given day you may run into Phil Fulmer, Pat Summit, Bill Haslam, or other Knoxville power-brokers deciding Knoxville’s fate over some fried chicken. This week, I lunched next to a Tennessee Supreme Court justice chowing down on some barbecue. With their summer-weight business suits, polished shoes, and gospel music playing in the background, it could have been a scene straight out of All the King’s Men.
During my Chandler’s lunch this week, I chatted with the affable Mr. Chandler, who was surprised that I’d never tried his spare ribs before. Though he made a strong case, I ultimately decided to try their much-acclaimed fried chicken along with mac n’ cheese, corn on the cob, collard greens, corn bread, peach cobbler, and sweet tea. Oh boy!
As I sat down and dug into my feast, Mr. Chandler quietly—and quite generously—dropped off a plate of spare ribs with a sampling of sauces: mild, medium, and hot barbecue sauce. I’m not one to turn down free barbecue so I saddled up to the plate and tried them all. Dear lord, Mr. Chandler was right: this barbecue is some of the best I’ve ever eaten. Though I usually gravitate towards less spicy dishes, I have to say that the hot sauce was my favorite. The flavor starts off sweet and smoky and builds towards a spicy crescendo several seconds later. According to Mr. Chandler, it’s exactly eight seconds later. The incredible sauce is the perfect compliment to the tender, juicy, meaty, and perfectly spiced spare ribs.
Turning my attention back to my fried chicken, I picked up the huge chicken breast and took a bite. The coating was substantial and crispy, with a delightful blend of spices. It’s notably different from the Colonel’s recipe, and just as tasty. The creamy mac ‘n cheese tasted very similar to my nanny’s famous dish, with soft macaroni generously coated in mild cheese flecked with black pepper. The collard greens had plenty of flavor without chunks of pork or ham, and did not require a splash of vinegar as some blander greens do. The corn on the cob was stick-in-your-teeth meaty and sweet. Complementing every dish, the white cornbread muffin was dense and quite large.
There’s only one way to finish this comfort food spread, and that’s with a bowl of warm peach cobbler. Talk about heaven—the sweet, warm peaches were coated in a thick sauce with layers of thin dough in perfect proportion. With the first bite, I was transported back to my mom’s kitchen where peach cobbler made a regular appearance throughout my childhood.
Whether your soul’s in need of some comfort, or you’re just really hungry, you should head over to Chandler’s for lunch today. You never know who you might run in to—a local celebrity, a pillar of the community, a group of blue collar workers, or your next door neighbor. One thing’s for sure, you’ll leave happier than you came.
Special thanks to The Wicked Cow People
Comments
Yum Amy! I've never had the pleasure of trying his BBQ either. Now you made me hungry for it and peach cobbler at 9 a.m.! I'll have to meet you there for lunch one day and we can catch up!
Angie L.
Posted by: Angie | June 6, 2007 9:51 AM