Pizza Palace at last! A Magnolia Avenue food journey takes in iconic dining spot | Mike Strange

Magnolia Avenue is one of my regular bicycle routes. Lately, I’ve been delivering Love Kitchen meals in East Knoxville. Once upon a time I cheered for my daughter and the Austin-East High School girls soccer team.

One thing I almost never did in East Knoxville was eat.

I go out to lunch virtually every day. South Knoxville. Downtown. Bearden. Turkey Creek, if some errand takes me that far. Broadway, occasionally. Maryville or Townsend, after a bike ride.

My previous East Knoxville dining experience pretty much began and ended at the late, great Chandler’s Deli. Alas, the building I associate with superb fried chicken and sides sits empty.

It was past time to expand my horizons. To be clear, I have no ambition to replace the News Sentinel’s “Grub Scout” columnist. But here’s my culinary journey along Magnolia Avenue.

I started on a Monday at The Nolia Grille, where a big fellow welcomed me with “What’ll you have, boss man?’’ A sign cautioned that this wasn’t McDonald’s, food was cooked to order.

Of everything I ate in the coming days, Nolia’s fried chicken-tender sandwich on toast took the gold medal. Outstanding sandwich. The fried okra was tasty. My bad luck, they were out of fried corn on the cob. Still, a good start.

Tuesday, I joined the semicircle of cars at The Red Fez Deli, a little blue building near Chilhowee Park that was previously some fast-food outlet, perhaps a Central Park Burgers. You order at a window on one side, loop around and pick up your food on the other.

My expectations were modest. The steak in a sack, however, was a pleasant surprise. Two pitas filled with meat. Good French fries, too. I added fried cheese sticks, which were superfluous and too chewy. On the whole, a win.

I was looking forward to Wednesday at the Lunch House, a vintage meat-and-three spot a block off Magnolia. I’d been there years ago on the invite of Bill Petty, my longtime Neyland Stadium press box friend.

Again, tough break. By the time I arrived they were out of my anticipated daily special, chicken and dumplings. The vegetables – cabbage, white corn, green beans – and corn muffin were spot on, but the backup plan salmon patties didn’t do much for me.

Thursday’s stop was Captain Jack’s, advertising chicken and fish. I went with a fried shrimp special. The shrimp were, well, shrimpy. But I didn’t go hungry. A huge pile of fried okra smothered the entree. I recommend the jumbo shrimp option.

I saved the main event for Friday. In 39 years of Knoxville dining, I had never visited the iconic Pizza Palace. I pulled up to a speaker, rolled down the window and ordered. Friends told me I had to get the onion rings. Rings don’t pair with pizza, so I picked a hoagie sandwich.

The hoagie was okay. Nice, fresh bun. But I made a rookie mistake, asking for the “full order” of rings.

They were as good as advertised. And if I’d brought the Green Bay Packers with me, we might have finished them off. I only made a dent.

That was supposed to be it. Five lunches. But I sensed unfinished business. A second chance was in order.

I returned to the Lunch House for another go at the daily special. Bingo. The meat loaf was moist and terrific, surrounded by three scrumptious veggies. Vindication.

As 2022 comes to an end, I no longer have a blank spot in my Knoxville food map.

Mike Strange is a former writer for the News Sentinel. He currently writes a weekly sports column for Shopper News.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Pizza Palace at last! A Magnolia Avenue food journey in Knoxville