Trackside
Located at the junction of Route 627 and the CSX railroad just outside of downtown Paris Kentucky is the Trackside Restaurant & Bourbon Bar. This unique southern eatery is housed in the beautifully restored former Paris Train Depot. The historic building was constructed by the Louisville & Nashville railroad in 1882 and expanded multiple times in the early 20th century to facilitate the growing needs of this bustling community. Over the years the depot served local farmers shipping their crops, famous actors and actresses coming to perform at the city's opera house, and even the likes of Teddy Roosevelt who allegedly made a whistle-stop speech here.
Today the restaurant's décor seems a mix of class and southern charm. For example the tables are built from an eclectic mix of everything from "live-edge" lumber, to barrel tops, to old farmhouse doors. Depending on the weather guests may have the choice of eating inside the depot, or at a collection tables lining the area just beside the track where passengers would once have stood waiting for their train. We visited on a day of perfect fall weather, so we got to take advantage of the outdoor seating.
All of the staff from the hostess to the various waitresses we interacted with were friendly, engaging, and full of southern charm. Drinks were kept full, food was brought promptly, and empty plates disappeared as soon as we were done with them.
The food is all southern fare, and everything we had was excellent. For an appetizer we had the fried green tomatoes. They were hot, crispy, and delicately seasoned fresh from the fryer. They came with a side of fresh home-made ranch dressing which offered just enough coolant to let you take a small bite without completely melting your face off.
For our entrees the wife had the chicken salad with a side of fries, and a bowl of the potato soup. The soup was her favorite item of the day. Creamy and succulent, the soup was filled with large rustic chunks of potatoes, onions, celery, and carrots. The celery and carrots were something I'd never seen done before, and they truly elevated the dish into something special, bringing both savory and sweet notes. The fries were crisp, and seasoned with just a touch of Cajun spice. The chicken salad was clearly made from fresh shredded chicken, with mayonnaise, onions, and grapes. She had the choice of having it served sandwich style or on a bed of lettuce, but opted for the lettuce option. It was well made, but but she didn't realize until it arrived that it was the "sweet style" chicken salad (with the grapes), which is not her favorite.
I opted for the hot brown with a side salad. The salad was good, but on the small side. It featured chopped lettuce, spring mix, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and then I chose the home-made ranch dressing. The hot brown was hands down the best I’ve ever had, and clearly the best dish of the day. Their take is an opened faced turkey and old ham sandwich, absolutely drenched in a smokey/cheesey house-made Mornay sauce, and then topped with bacon and fresh tomatoes. Just smelling this thing might give you a heart attack, but one bite and you'll know that it was well worth it.
All told we were there for probably an hour or so. Although we were just getting started on what would turn into a 4 hour road trip, it's just hard to feel like you're in a hurry when you're here. Between the excellent food, the charming staff, and perfect atmosphere you can't help but slip into an old southern state of mind where everything just moves a little slower. If you find yourself near Paris with an hour or 2 to kill, Trackside offers the perfect place to unwind and soak up the local culture.
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Trackside: 134 East 10th Street Paris, KY
