I like to say I am a person of food and culture. I have been fortunate enough to have traveled most of my life and have had amazing experiences with different people. My love for food came from the basic need of wanting to eat something good.

I attended culinary school in Washington D.C. While in school I did some catering and worked multiple venues throughout the district. After graduation, just as I was finding my way in the culinary world, the opportunity to live in Germany presented itself.

Since being here in Stuttgart, I have taken in the German food culture and also what Europe has to offer for the culinary world. Everyday I stay connected with food trends and take every opportunity to cook, travel and eat.

I never thought that I would ever have an actual root beer float in Germany, let alone order one in a German restaurant. So needless to say I was pleasantly surprised when I saw an A&W root beer float on the menu at TC Original American BBQ.

TC Original American BBQ is a welcoming restaurant tucked away on a quiet street in Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt, equipped with a sizable Biergarten and indoor dining. You know youR17;re in good hands when you can smell the smoke in the air as you walk up to the restaurant.

The menu and atmosphere is casual BBQ. It offers a selection of burgers and barbecue meat plates (including pulled pork and pork ribs) along with steaks, sandwiches, salads and some vegetarian options. The sides are pretty typical to the cuisine offering baked beans, coleslaw, baked potato, corn on the cob and a selection of French fries to include curly and waffled.

While I was there I was able to chat with owner Tim Cavanaugh who originates from Ohio and now resides in Stuttgart. I learned that he turned his hobby and love of grilling into a business adventure that has been going strong for 5 years now. He not only offers a dining venue (up to 100 seats) and catering to the area, but also hosts live music and events at his location.

The best thing about the casual atmosphere is that you will see Tim greeting and talking with his guests (in both English and German) just as if you were stopping by his backyard BBQ. When I asked for a recommendation he smiled and offered the Tasty Plate, a platter of pulled pork, baby back ribs, and Buffalo wings with a side of coleslaw. For nothing but guilty pleasure, I added an order of curly fries and some mozzarella sticks for an appetizer and of course THE root beer float. The ribs were great, nice smokey flavor with tender fall off the bone meat. The wings I found not as spicy as I would have liked but still good. The pulled pork was the absolute winner in my opinion. After some beers and more good conversation, I found myself wanting a little more, so for dessert I had a decadent chocolate and caramel brownie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. That hit the spot.

Overall, I had a great experience. TC BBQ is a great place to spend time with friends and family and to enjoy some good food. The restaurant is easily accessible by U-bahn, but if you prefer to drive, there is also plenty of parking. I encourage you to check it out. You can get more information and a full menu at his website www.tims-barbecue.de