"What Does the Dietitian Order?" @ Peerless

Reviewed on March 14, 2011 by Kristen Jackson Slusher, MS, RD, LDN

3 out of 5 Forks

Peerless  Restaurant, since 1938 – Big on seafood, Famous at Steak!  Well, I admit, I did not order the steak, but I did have the seafood!  It was a tough decision to make from their vast array of choices.  After some deep contemplation, I decided to go with the 9 oz fillet of the highest quality New Orleans Grilled Salmon with seasoned butter (on the side), served with a baked potato and fresh vegetable of the day.  I also tried the Famous Grecian Salad with fresh mixed greens, celery, peas, wine ripened tomatoes, Kalamata olives, feta cheese, and pepperoncini, tossed in a Grecian vinaigrette.  I would have asked for the dressing on the side, but did not think to ask before hand.  That is typically the norm for me when ordering, just not this time.  Rolls were served to our table as well, although not whole wheat rolls, unfortunately, but an appropriate size roll and baked to perfection!

My dinner was accompanied by a glass of Merlot, had to fit in my antioxidants!  The portion sizes for the dinner were of course huge, so I brought half my salmon home for a second meal the next evening.  The server was very polite to bring me a “To Go” box mid-meal to prevent any overeating.  We ordered a New York Cheese Cake with Chocolate Sauce and took it home as well to save for later.  It made for a perfect  dessert  to share by dividing it up into smaller servings!  It was perfect until I dropped the “To Go” box before getting home – so it did not hold its shape, it looked more like a glob of delightful chocolate and cheese, but still oh so delicious!

This was my first visit to Peerless (easy to spot on South Peters Road thanks to the bull out front!) and I have to say…the atmosphere and décor of the restaurant was very nice!  We received excellent service from the staff who accommodated our special requests!   The food had great flavor – I really enjoyed the salmon, but their portions were large and the amount of added fat and salt was extremely high.  I would return to visit again just knowing that I must plan the rest of my daily calorie intake accordingly.

Submitted by:

Kristen Jackson Slusher MS, RD, LDN

Clinical Nutrition Specialist

East Tennessee Children's Hospital
P.O.Box 15010 / 2018 Clinch Ave.
Knoxville, TN 37916
Phone:865-541-8395 / Fax:865-541-8681
E-mail:  kjslusher@etch.com

Peerless in a dine-in restaurant located off of South Peters Road in West Knoxville and one location in Johnson City.  Peerless received  3 out of 5 forks as there is an additional charge for substituting some menu side items and nutrition information is not available.