I ran into an unusual problem when I paid this cute Ecuadorian restaurant a second visit for a new story: the thing I wanted to eat the most was the same thing I had on my previous trip.
Two years ago, when we took a family trip to Chattanooga, we stopped by Fresh Pot Cafe up in Hixson. Actually, we went pretty far out of our way to visit, but we enjoyed the meal (here’s the story). Last summer, when I went back over all our stories about restaurants in this city and decided which ones to revisit for a “take two” feature, I added Fresh Pot to the list. It’s such a cute place, with a good length menu of both traditional Ecuadorian meals and fusion dishes, and it deserved another look.
But then I looked over the menu and really wanted that crispy fish sandwich again. That wouldn’t do. I wasn’t pleased with myself for writing a “take two” about Urban Stack where I ordered the exact same burger, years apart. Maybe I’ll get that again another day, but if I was writing to share a story with you good readers, I needed to do something different. So I’m so glad y’all are around, because just the thought of you guilted me into a very good little lunch!
I ordered the Arroz Colorado, which is a little like jambalaya, with rice, chicken, sausage, carrots, and peas. It also had eggs, tomatoes, and plantains. It wasn’t bad, but what it really needs is a bowl of the house-made hot sauce. Don’t be afraid of this good stuff, readers. It’s not really that hot, but it brings so much wonderful flavor to the dishes here. I mixed the entire bowl in with my order and really enjoyed it. I’d order this again anytime.
Although, truth be told, the next time I was near Fresh Pot, I started thinking about that fish sandwich once again. Yes, indeed. But then I also started thinking about their shrimp and grits and some fried yucca and some bread pudding as well. It’s not a very big menu, but they manage to offer something for everybody here. I can’t imagine anyone being unhappy with the available options.
Fresh Pot is an absolutely delightful and unique restaurant. We honestly haven’t seen anyplace quite like it anywhere in our travels. I may not be a regular, but this is certainly a place I’ll revisit more often now that I’ve become a little more familiar with the menu and thought about more things that I’d like to try.
Fresh Pot Cafe
5425 TN-153
Hixson, TN 37343
You can see all the restaurants that we have visited for our blog on this map, with links back to the original blog posts. It’s a terrific resource for anybody planning a road trip through the southeast!
Marie, Let's Eat! 