Grub Scout: Oak Ridge eatery goes wild with its game selections

I realized it had been a while since The Grub Spouse and I had done any noshing up Oak Ridge way, so on the recommendation of some locals, we decided to do lunch at Buffalo Mountain Grille, which is on the Turnpike, out near Melton Lake Road.

The restaurant is attached to another business, and the two share a patio area, so newbies may not be sure which entrance to take. BMG is the building further away from the parking lot entrance.

Open since 1997, Buffalo Mountain Grille is distinctive in that it offers an array of game meats not commonly served in restaurants. Selections made with elk, buffalo, boar — not to mention more traditional fare like skinless chicken breasts and tuna steaks — are served on the basis that they are leaner, healthier alternatives. Their meat products are also raised free range and without the artificial growth hormones common in regular beef products.

Based on our appetizer selection, however, it would be clear that The Spouse and I weren’t overly concerned about eating lean and mean. The starters include red pepper hummus and Florentine pizza as well as the apropos Buffalo wings, tenders and shrimp. There are also several fried items like egg rolls and calamari, and we went nutso with a plate of gooey, deep-fried pepper jack cheese cubes with a side of marinara ($5.99).

For the record, the menu devotes an entire page to vegetarian-friendly items, salads and lighter fare. Highlights are grilled zucchini and tomato sandwiches, a potato topped with black bean chili and a variety of salads and soup-salad combos. You can also order smaller portions of entrees like barbecue chicken, a grilled pork chop and rib-eye steak.

I had my sights set on one of their burgers, which are offered with everything from beef, black beans and chicken breast to wild boar, buffalo, elk, Kobe beef and ostrich. They were out of my first preference, the boar, that day, so I settled on a buffalo-based burger ($7.99). The burgers are available in nine different varieties, such as Southern BBQ, Buffalo wing and marinara. I chose the Super Saute, featuring grilled onions, mushrooms and provolone cheese.

The Spouse culled the lineup of other sandwiches and pub classics, passing on the likes of a New York-style hot dog, a turkey Reuben, duck tenders and an egg salad sandwich in favor of the tuna steak sandwich ($8.49). A side of steamed veggies was chosen as a side item, whereas my order came with fries.

I enjoyed both items very much. Naturally, the buffalo meat was lean but still distinctive in flavor and without coming off as dry and lacking in juices. The sizeable bun was fresh as were the lettuce and tomato garnishes. The fries were fairly middle-of-the-road in quality.

The Spouse’s tuna steak sandwich was also a winner — thick, nicely seasoned and rich with tuna flavor without coming off as excessively fishy. Again, the garnishes were fresh and the rosemary focaccia bread was a nice complement. The side veggies were steamed to optimum texture.

We forewent their choice of Kentucky bourbon pecan pie and double chocolate fudge cake (both served with ice cream), since we were told that these are not homemade selections, but based on what we sampled at Buffalo Mountain Grille that day, I’m certainly game to go back and explore the rest of the menu.

© 2011, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.
Want to use this article? Click here for options!

© 2011 Knoxville.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.