Alright folks, for those that like southern cooking, this next restaurant will satisfy your tastebuds: Mountainside Smokehouse & Grill. (From here on out, I will be referring to it as Mountainside.) Mountainside is located in between Inlet and Old Forge and is successfully run by family man Bryan Bennett. Mountainside is unique because it is the only place I know of in the area with such a large selection of BBQ entrees. They offer a dining room, bar and an outside patio (weather permitting).
Let's start with the appetizers... they have a tasty version of nachos which offer pulled pork, turkey, brisket or smoked veggies. They also offer catfish strips served with remoulade. They have a traditional salad menu complete with any of the following choices: puled pork, turkey, brisket, chicken or smoked vegetables.
Now to the good stuff.... The Meats. No, this isn't Arby's. This is Mountainside. They have St. Louis Ribs, Chicken, Pulled Pork, Turkey, Brisket and Catfish. Then, like any good BBQ spot, they offer a variety of combos ranging from 2 meats to 5 meats. Each meal includes the choice of 2 sides and the choice of garlic bread or corn bread. They even have a family-style combo that can feed up to 6 people!
Next up they have a diverse sandwich menu that includes a club sandwich, a reuben, a french dip, burgers and wraps. Some of the sandwiches are traditional, while others are unique such as the sandwich with sliced beef brisket, pulled pork, cheese, coleslaw, served on garlic Texas toast. Several of their items are vegetarian friendly! Each sandwich is served with 1 side. Their sides include fries, coleslaw, baked means, smoked veggies, mashed potatoes and gravy, creamed corn, mac and cheese, and my personal favorite, the potato casserole.
They offer several house specials including the "BBQ Shepherds Pie" (pulled pork, turkey or brisket, mashed potatoes, creamed corn, topped with cheese) and the "Catfish Morgan" (blackened catfish, mac & cheese, smoked vegetables). They also offer daily specials, as well as many holiday specials. Mountainside has an affordable children's menu as well. And don't worry, YES, they offer home-made desserts!
Here is some exciting news! If you love BBQ and Breakfast you are in luck. On Sundays, Mountainside offers brunch. Combine your favorite BBQ meats with eggs, toast and breakfast meat or try something else such as French Toast or Biscuits and Gravy. One item they have that sounds intriguing is "The Monte Side French Toast" - layered French toast, ham and Swiss cheese. Yum!
One neat aspect of Mountainside is the name of the combos and sandwiches. They are derived from local terms such as the "4th Lake Combo", "The Trail 5 Combo" and the "Fulton Chain Combo". Names of sandwiches include "The Lake Effect" and the "Tip-A-Canoe Burger". I love how Mountainside does an amazing job of merging the Adirondacks with Southern cooking. Be sure to check them out!
