Bison reigns supreme at Ted's Montana
Grill. The extensive menu features bison tenderloin
filet, bison strip, bison Delmonico, bison prime rib,
bison chili, bison pot roast and 23 varieties of bison
hamburgers.
Ted's even has bison meatloaf.
So when a Ted's Montana Grill opened here
on August 1, diners weren't hesitant to line up to try
bison.
Kreg Kimmons, manager of the Tallahassee
Ted's, says his restaurant - which also serves beef,
chicken, salmon and other fare - has stayed busy at
lunch and dinner since it opened. It's also already
popular for takeout, something Kimmons hopes will increase
during football season.
With its Arts and Crafts-style architecture,
African mahogany paneling, pressed tin ceiling and ceiling
fans, Ted's in Tallahassee looks like a big comfortable
Montana lodge.
Paintings on the walls feature Western
themes. A bison head stares out over diners at family-style
tables and cozy booths.
The long wooden bar, reminiscent of a
Western saloon, has already become a hangout for professionals
after work.
Other touches show the attention to detail
the chain owners and managers put into the restaurants.
Only Borax soap is used in the bathrooms. All menu ingredients
from onion rings to the salmon are fresh. The restaurant's
lone freezer only holds ice cream, Kimmons says.
"The fresh food is what makes us
what we are."
The chain even has its own exclusive wine
label: Big Sky, from Oregon.
Favorites on the menu include bison meatloaf,
Karen's Flying D Bison Chili and Aunt Fannie's Squash
Casserole, made from a recipe from Aunt Fannie's Cabin,
a long time Atlanta landmark that's now closed.
The servers train a month with top staff
members from other Ted's restaurants. The goal is for
diners to receive "casual fine dinning at casual
pricing with five-star service."