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Alta Cucina
1200 N. Roan St., Johnson City, Tennessee 37601
Phone: 423.928.2092
Cuisines: • Italian • Pizza • Seafood • Vegetarian
Features: • Full Bar • Take Out
Authentic Italian restaurant featuring full bar and great wine menu. Gourmet pizzas available for carry-out only at anytime. Appetizers include crab cakes, stuffed portabella mushroom, calamari, fresh mozzarella and smoked salmon pizza.
Lunch is served with homemade bread and offered with a variety of salads, fish, chicken, pasta, subs, calzone and stromboli. Full Details ...
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At Tootie’s: Arvil burgers, hot dogs and nostalgia
Reach the Mystery Diner at diner@johnsoncitypress.com.
At a glance: Tootie’s, 1310 Virginia Ave., Bristol; 764-6215; Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m.-9 p.m., Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; credit cards accepted.
This weekend, it’s all about Bristol. Actually, it’s about NASCAR.
We — as in those of us who’ve called this region home for a number of years — have grown accustomed to this biannual occasion when thousands and thousands descend upon the Tri. Some of us find it exciting, some find the traffic backups an inconvenience, and those in the hospitality industry view it as vital to the bottom line. Some may even have forgotten this is race weekend.
For restaurants, it may be their “day after Thanksgiving” weekend. The beginnings of the Bristol restaurant industry take root across town, far from the engine roars and the spectacular “Speedway In Lights.”
Tootie’s, located in the Willie Boom community of Bristol, dates back to 1945 with bragging rights as Bristol’s oldest restaurant. Years ago, I would have described Tootie’s as your basic grill, but after visiting hundreds of restaurants since, that definition seems to fall short.
What is Tootie’s claim to fame? For me, it’s the hot dogs, but others may consider it to be the Arvil Burger, which can be described in one word: double. Twice the cheese, twice the lettuce, mayo, onion and tomato, all served on a large bun and a thick 9-ounce burger.
“When finished, it’s just over a pound,” the lady behind the cash register told me.
Those who’ve followed my reviews through the years know I’d hike a mountain for a good burger, and an Arvil sitting at the top would definitely be all the motivation I’d need. The menu description of the Arvil Burger refers to a secret ingredient for flavor, and whatever it is, it works. This burger is definitely recommendable, but primarily for the hearty eaters. Of course, there’s always the “eat-now-save-the-rest-forlunch-tomorrow” option.
But it’s the hot dogs that keep me coming back, and by coming back, I’m referring to a 20-year pattern. As a kid, my family spent some time on South Holston Lake, and to-go hot dogs from Tootie’s outranked a bucket of chicken any day of the week. Objectively speaking, the dogs are rather basic, and the chili reminds me of canned chili, which is fine, but my enjoyment may have as much to do with remembrance as it does mustard and onions. Food has a way of doing that.
Burgers and dogs are the proverbial “drop in the bucket” on the Tootie menu. There are subs (both hot and cold), pizzas, sandwiches, beans and corn bread, fried shrimp, a barbecue platter and so on. The grilled chicken filet is a nice crispy alternative, especially with a side of fries from the grill.
Breakfast, with everything from toast and jelly to the Willie Boom Breakfast (gravy, ham, eggs, etc.) is available all day.
If you are bringing the family, plan on your kids pleading for an ice cream cone. There aren’t many flavors, but a large assortment wouldn’t mesh with the quaintness of Tootie’s.
Just know that the cones can’t hold a candle to Tootie’s Root Beer Float. In fact, some may argue the floats are Tootie’s real claim to fame.
Mystery Diner Published in the Johnson City Press on August 22, 2008
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