Grub Scout: Jacque's Whistle Stop Cafe puts Friendsville on the map

I normally might not have gone out of my way to sniff out any unique dining opportunities in quaint little Friendsville, but after receiving multiple proddings in that direction from previous patrons of the Whistle Stop Café, I decided to see what all the hubbub was about.

The Grub Spouse and I easily found the eatery in an old brick structure near what passes for downtown. Most of the space actually serves as an antiques shop, although the owner (Jacque’s not his real name, FYI) has smoothly integrated his lunch-and-dinner business, adorning the cozy dining area with lots of conversation-starting curios and setting up overflow seating in some of the antique store’s other nooks and crannies.

When we entered, the smell of smoked barbecue hooked us under the nostrils and pulled us toward the main counter, where “Jacque” greeted us boisterously and heartily and gave us a personal rundown of the chalk-written menu in his native New York accent.

His specialty is char-grilled chicken: The half-chicken with two sides, the three jumbo wings and the barbecue chicken sandwich are your best options for sampling it. The lineup of Southern comfort foods also features a hamburger, a London broil sandwich, a barbecue rib sandwich, a fried bologna sandwich, a quarter-pound hot dog and a half rack of ribs.

The Spouse got the half-chicken with cole slaw and baked beans on the side. I had to try the half rack of ribs with dirty rice and beans on as my side. We also realized we couldn’t eat at a place called the Whistle Stop Café without trying their signature side item, the fried green tomatoes, as an appetizer. Other sides include roasted corn, fried pickles and chip fries.

Our feast was delivered to our table, and my only complaint was that the food is served on paper plates and with plastic cutlery instead of real dishes and flatware. It forced me to go at the ribs by hand, but that didn’t diminish too much from my enjoyment of the gi-normous seven-bone half-rack, which is prepared with a wonderfully eclectic dry-rub seasoning and accompanied by a thick, smoky wet sauce.

The meat was packed onto the bones, separated easily and delighted with its seasoned, smoky flavor. The portion size forced me to carry half the serving home as leftovers, but meanwhile, I still enjoyed the lively beans and rice.

The Spouse’s chicken was likewise a succulent festival of tastes, enhanced by the zippy homemade baked beans and chunky, vinegar-based cole slaw. The fried green ’maters were thick, tart, breaded and served with a creamy but uniquely tangy dipping sauce.

Upon learning that all the desserts were homemade, we perused the selection of cakes, pies, cobblers and ice cream treats before deciding to go our separate ways this time. The Spouse got the chocolate pie, and I was presented with a monument-sized chunk of coconut cake. The pie was a solid effort, but the cake — despite being the last slice left on the display pedestal — was insanely moist, creamy and left my gas gauge pointing well past the full level.

Most of the items are very reasonably priced, with lunches averaging around $4 and dinners (with two sides) averaging about $6.50. At $12, the ribs inflated our total tab for the night, but considering the quality and portion, it was easily worth it.

So if you’re the kind of person who needs a good reason to journey into Friendsville, consider yourself the recipient of one. Flag down a ride and get your fanny to the Whistle Stop Café this summer.

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