Hello Ruby Tuesday

If you think all chain restaurants are built alike, think again. Ruby Tuesdays has reinvented itself into a classy eatery, with a new upscale look and interesting haute Americain dishes. Best of all it's still maintained its' warmth and top notch cooking making it a must go to restuarant for a summer gathering or just a night out.

Ruby Tuesdays came about in 1972 when five University of Tennessee students wanted to create a business after graduation in Knoxville TN. It wa s named after the popular Rolling Stones song and quickly became a hit with students.It has since changed owners twice . It made my local mall twenty years ago and instantly became a local go to place. It had the best chicken Caesar salad along with excellent steaks. Rubys' salad bar was and still is chocked with unusual foods that wouldn't be found in a normal run of the mill one. Soy beans and pumpernickel croutons are side by side with the regular spinach leaves, broccoli and ham cubes.

Their new menu is reflective of haute American cuisine of today. I ordered the zucchini cake sliders which are deep friend zucchini fritters stuffed with goat cheese, There was also spaghetti squash, served both as a pasta and as a buttery side. This type of squash is rarely served in American box restaurants, Usually the more creative ones in our big cities such as New York, Chicago or even Washington have spaghetti squash on their menus. You can also get it when ordering th e all veggie platter .Ruby's also has gone Mexican by adding chicken quesadillas too. These are made more like paninis and have a wonderful crunch to them. A new dessert are red velvet and carrot cupcakes along with their classic after dinner treats and sweets.\

If you haven't been to Ruby Tuesdays in a while, drop by for lunch dinner or even a Sunday brunch. The changes are amazing both to the decor and the menu. It may be a stop in your local mall, but it the restaurant feels like classy metro hangout.