This week, I continue my tour of lakefront restaurants that operate out of East Tennessee marinas. One thing I’ve noticed they’ve had in common so far is that each was preceded at its respective site by at least one other restaurant. The turnover has been particularly high at the location where Nauti-K’s Riverside Bar & Grill has been in business for the past couple of years. Prior to that, it was a Sweet P’s, and before that, The Grub Spouse and I had dined at that facility at least twice, each time at a different restaurant.
Based on what I gleaned online, however, it seems that Nauti K’s (the names of the two ladies who own the restaurant both start with a K) has done a good job of establishing an identity and building a clientele on the shores of Volunteer Cove in South Knoxville. The Spouse and I decided to check the place out for ourselves, tagging lunch onto the end of a Sunday morning kayak outing on adjacent Fort Loudoun Lake.
The menu is limited but covers several bases. Appetizers include coconut shrimp (which I seriously considered), fried pickles, chicken wings and nachos. We ordered the pork rinds ($10), which are cooked onsite and served with pirate caviar and salsa. I also noticed several salad options and a section of hotdogs, each of which is served with as many as three toppings and a side dish. Entrees include coho salmon, blackened mahi, fish and chips, a pork chop and Zay’s Zesty Tendies.
Sandwiches account for the largest chunk of the menu. Items include a po’ boy (which I almost ordered), several burger variations, a chicken sandwich and shrimp tacos. I ordered Momma’s Mahi Sandwich ($16), which is served with lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle by default, plus aioli. Although the menu doesn’t specify that sandwiches come with a side, they do. I picked onion rings over French fries, potato salad, more pirate caviar, seasonal vegetables, coleslaw, Brussels sprouts, a fruit cup or a side salad.
The Spouse decided to try Lauren’s Land/Lake Tacos ($16) — one beef and one shrimp taco topped with queso fresco, pico and Chihuahua sauce. (No Chihuahuas were harmed in the making of this meal.) The Spouse picked the seasonal vegetable medley of broccoli, cauliflower and carrots as the included side.
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Our food came out in a reasonable amount of time — which is what I would have expected since we were the first table seated for lunch that day. Our server delivered the pork rinds fresh out of the deep fryer, still crackling and popping. Those hot and crunchy pork skins were still making noise when we called it quits about halfway through the portion. They were enjoyable, both solo and topped with the veggie-heavy pirate caviar and the salsa.
They did a decent job with the mahi sandwich; the bread was soft, the fish flavor distinctive but mild, and the aioli was a tasty embellishment. The battered onion rings were quite good — hot and juicy with no subtlety in the onion-flavor department. I also liked both of The Spouse’s tacos, although my fondness perhaps leaned a tad more in the direction of the beef version. The accompanying vegetables were cooked to softness without reaching mushiness.
I had no complaints about any of the food items we ordered, although we were disappointed that Nauti K’s was out of its homemade banana pudding. We decided to pass on the key lime cups and the apple pie rolls, both of which were food-distributor products.
I wasn’t thrilled with the service we received. Our server started out well enough, but her prolonged absences during the second half of our meal bordered on irritating, especially when we were trying to settle up and hit the road.
But I still have to say that with the exception of Sweet P’s, which was a very different culinary experience, Nauti K’s is my favorite iteration of the Volunteer Cove restaurant so far. I recommend giving it a try the next time you decide to drop anchor there.
Nauti K’s Riverside Bar & Grill
Food: 3.75
Service: 3.5
Atmosphere: 3.75
Overall: 3.75
Address: 3725 Maryville Pike
Phone: 865-249-6362
Full bar service
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays
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