This week is restaurant week in Knoxville. Participating restaurants are offering special 3 course meals for $25-35/per person and donating $5/per meal to Second Harvest Food Bank of East Tennessee. Restaurant Week has been planned for a long time, but unplanned was Monday’s monsoon that flooded the Second Harvest building. The Food Bank lost just about everything and money is in short supply.
Instead of spending $50-70 for a fancy dinner with $10 going to Second Harvest, we mailed a check for the entire cost of a 3 course meal for two and joined friends Sonya and Mac Cissna at Sweet P’s for BBQ meat (loaf) and two. Sweet P’s is an interesting BBQ joint/weekend music venue on Old Maryville Pike within spitting distance of the Tennessee River. The atmosphere is funky (campy some might say) posters, neon beer signs, indoor/outdoor carpet, rickety chairs, sports on TV and the best barbeque (and sauce) in town. In another word, heaven…
We slipped in the front door just behind a rowdy birthday party of 30 or so. The line moved quickly as the proprietor dished up plates of food from a buffet set-up behind the counter. The menu is limited to a choice of 5-6 different meats and 5-6 sides, with a nightly special. BBQ meatloaf is only served on Thursday night and we considered nothing else!
We were not disappointed. Our two sides, mac and cheese and cold slaw were excellent. But the meatloaf was perfection, smoked on the grill and smothered with a tangy BBQ sauce. We added a squirt of hot sauce and savored every bite. Mac and Sonya ordered the same and also raved about the meatloaf (and mac and cheese). We agreed another Thursday at Sweet P’s is in order!
Yum-yum!
