KNOXVILLE CUISINE GUIDE Daily Beacon Special Edition
BEACON BITES
O P EN WHEN YOU’RE HUNGRY
FOOD TOUR
9 | SCRUFFY CITY EATERIES
3 | EATING LOCAL IN KNOXVILLE
12 | FRENCH MARKET CREPERIE
7 | PROGRESSIVE DINNER IF YOU’RE THIRSTY 3 | SPACE BAR 8 | ROCKY TOP NUTRITION
Volume 141, Issue 8
Wednesday, March 23, 2022
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KNOXVILLE CUISINE
The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, March 23, 2022
DAILY BEACON STAFF AND POLICY INFORMATION
Letter from the Editors: Grateful for variety in Knoxville cuisine SARAH RAINEY AND CALEIGH ROZMENOSKI Editor-in-Chief and Managing Editor
EDITORIAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Sarah Rainey MANAGING EDITOR: Caleigh Rozmenoski COPY CHIEF: Kyra Bogdan CAMPUS NEWS EDITOR: Daniel Dassow CITY NEWS EDITOR: Madelyn Muschek SPORTS EDITOR: Josh Lane ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR: Ethan Stone DIGITAL PRODUCER: Kailee Harris OPINIONS EDITOR: Erin Gwydir PHOTO EDITOR: Alexandra Ashmore DESIGN EDITOR: Bella Hughes SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER: Kimberly Lalas
ADVERTISING/PRODUCTION STUDENT ADVERTISING MANAGER: Emily
Bishop
Calling all Knoxville foodies! Although we are not native Knoxvillians, we have both lived here for nearly four full years. In that time, we have certainly tried our fair share of local cuisine in this exciting and scruffy city. We are incredibly lucky in Knoxville to have such an extensive culinary scene. There are so many awesome restaurants, coffee shops, breweries, dessert places and the list goes on. While Knoxville may not be the largest city out there, the range of culinary options for foodies and restaurant-goers in general is huge. You can eat your way around the world by hopping from restaurant to restaurant in just a day here
ADVERTISING SALES REPRESENTATIVE: Aubrey
Bishop, Kelly Glasgow
ADVERTISING PRODUCTION ARTIST: Victoria
Wheelock
CONTACTS
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editorinchief@utdailybeacon.com or call (865) 974-2348 TO PLACE AN AD, please email
admanager@utk.edu or call (865) 974-5206 NEWSROOM: (865) 974-5206
editorinchief@utdailybeacon.com LETTERS POLICY: Letters to the Editor must be exclusive to The Daily Beacon and cannot have been submitted to or published by other media. Letters should not exceed 400 words and can be edited or shortened for space. Letters can also be edited for grammar and typographical errors, and Letters that contain excessive grammatical errors can be rejected for this reason. Anonymous Letters will not be published. Authors should include their full name, mailing address, city of residence, phone number and e-mail address for verification purposes. Letters submitted without this information will not be published. The preferred method to submit a Letter to the Editor is to email the Editor-in-Chief. CORRECTIONS POLICY:It is the Daily Beacon’s policy to quickly correct any factual errors and clarify any potentially misleading information. Errors brought to our attention by readers or sta� members will be corrected and printed on page two of our publication. To report an error please send as much information as possible about where and when the error occurred to managingeditor@ utdailybeacon.com, or call our newsroom at (865) 974-5206. The Daily Beacon is published by students at The University of Tennessee on Monday and Thursday during the fall and spring semesters. The o�ces are located at 1345 Circle Park Drive, 11 Communications Building, Knoxville, TN 379960314. The newspaper is free on campus and is available via mail subscription for $200/year or $100/semester. It is also available online at: www. utdailybeacon.com
in Knoxville. With Japanese, Mediterranean, Ethiopian, Mexican and more, the amount of food and drink options at your fingertips is endless. In this edition of The Daily Beacon, we have showcased a mere handful of what Knoxville’s cuisine has to offer. We are only scratching the surface with these great locations and there is so much more that everyone should try than what is included in this edition. Inside this edition, though, you will find information on a funky brewery, a partnership between an up-and-coming Jewish deli and a classic favorite pizza place, how to experience a “progressive dinner” and other exciting and appetizing options. Stomach growling may occur, so proceed with caution. As for our personal favorites in Knoxville, the list could go on and on. Sarah suggests that everyone try her favorite coffee shop in the city,
Remedy Coffee, and says that you absolutely have to try out the vegetable korma from Sitar Indian Cuisine — you won’t be disappointed. For Caleigh, she suggests taking a trip to the Sticky Rice Café to try some authentic Laotian food and really delicious blended boba tea — it might sound intimidating but it’s definitely worth it. If you have never stepped out of your comfort zone and checked out the diverse local cuisine of Knoxville, you are truly missing out. We encourage you to check out everything listed in this edition and to go a step further and do your own search of what’s out there that is specifically local to Knoxville. Sure, chain restaurants are great, but there is nothing quite like enjoying the experience of dining at a local establishment. We hope you enjoy this special Guide to Knoxville Cuisine edition of the Beacon. You are surely in for a treat.
A guide to eating like a local in Knoxville KYRA BOGDAN Copy Chief
Living in Knoxville provides access to loads of authentic, local places to choose from for every meal of the day. But, when someone comes to the city to visit, all of those choices can become a bit overwhelming. With breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert to choose from, it can be hard to narrow down your favorites to show your guests the full Knoxville eating experience. To help with the indecision, here is a guide to an all-local day of eating in Knoxville to give your visitors a small glimpse into the great dining options we have in Knoxville, Tennessee. Breakfast: Scrambled Jake’s
Scrambled Jake’s exterior on March 21, 2022. Kailee Harris / The Daily Beacon
Scrambled Jake’s served a need to the Knoxville community when it opened in summer 2017: a local, authentic breakfast and brunch place. Ever since it opened, Scrambled Jake’s has been a hit spot for college students looking for a Sunday brunch hangout, Knoxville locals craving one of the menu’s many sweet treats or savory favorites and various visitors to the area
simply looking for a good bite to eat. Along with many traditional breakfast items such as omelets, pancakes and French toast, Scrambled Jake’s also offers unique items like the “Pineapple Express” — described on the menu as “half a pineapple filled with Greek yogurt and seasonal cut fruit, topped with granola and local honey” — or the “Sin-O-Man Roll,” a massive homemade cinnamon roll baked fresh every morning. This early-morning eatery is open daily from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. for any and all hungry customers.
Dessert: Moonshine Mountain Cookie Co.
Lunch: The French Market Crêperie The French Market Crêperie is Knoxville’s first and only authentic French crêpe restaurant. With a cozy atmosphere and lots of places to sit, it is a great place for a quick bite to eat or a simple cup of coffee. The Downtown location is only a short five minute drive from campus or a brisk 20 minute walk, if you’re feeling up for it. They have a large selection of savory crepes, such as their turkey, bacon and avocado with Swiss cheese or the Vegetarian Deluxe for those who wish to steer clear of any of the meat options. There is also the sweet crepes option for anyone with a sweet tooth, such as the lemon and sugar, Strawberries and Cream or Nutella filled crêpe — any of which can be swapped out for a gluten-free batter. Dinner: Anaba Japanese Cusine For those of you who enjoy Japanese cuisine, Anaba Japanese offers some of Knoxville’s best. First opened in 2005, Anaba now has three different locations in East Tennessee — Northshore, Downtown and Maryville. Their sushi menu is what they are best known for, in fact, these rolls are made by a third-generation Japanese sushi expert, and the selection is quite extensive with many different sections to break the menu up.
The Moonshine Mountain Cookie Company o�ers a variety of tasty southern-inspired cookies. File / The Daily Beacon
Lastly, a guide of Knoxville eating is never complete without dessert. Tennessee Moonshine is a big part of the history in East Tennessee, and Moonshine Mountain Cookie Co. plays a small part in keeping that history alive. The founders of this cookie company all met while attending the University of Tennessee and now have two locations in the Knoxville area — one in Farragut and another in West Hills. Some of the recipes, including flavors like “Berry White,” “Mint Jagger” and “Sugar Shine,” have real Tennessee Moonshine mixed into the batter to add to the flavor. These sweet treats are a delicious way to end any day of eating in Knoxville, Tennessee, and are something you won’t be able to find anywhere else.
KNOXVILLE CUISINE
Wednesday, March 23, 2022 • The Daily Beacon
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Local couple brings a new frontier to Knoxville with Space Bar LEXIE MARTIN Staff Writer
Courtney (C. Barry) and Chris Barry came up with a hypothetical idea for a space themed bar a couple of years ago. They were just pitching ideas for the bar and names when “Space Bar” came up in the couple’s conversation. One idea they had to go along with the theme was a cat on a rocket, wearing a space helmet. When they first opened their doors in January, what first greeted guests was a cat stuffed animal wearing a space suit. The couple owns ThinkBunny Concepts, Inc., which includes Space Bar and Token Game Tavern, as well as Bit Burger. The theme pays homage to the science fiction/fantasy genre which would include films that the two love like Star Wars, a franchise that has many devoted fans. This can help inspire some of the bar’s guests to dress up when going on their space voyage. Courtney and Chris Barry love it when patrons dress up in cosplay and get to be comfortable in a space that allows them to bring out that side of them. “Space Bar is a place where guests can feel very comfortable dressing up, letting loose and having fun. We are a place where we invite people to be themselves or to be anyone or any-
thing they want for an evening,” C. Barry said. The couple also added fun little easter eggs from some of their favorite Sci-Fi films that they hope fans of the genre will pick up on. When they see the joy someone feels when they do spot it, it also fills them with joy. What sets Space Bar apart from other establishments in Knoxville is the fact that it is a fully immersive experience. From the food and drinks to the atmosphere and décor, everything about this bar sets the tone and sticks to the theme. It even helps create a story for the bar, and it brings something unique to the area that allows locals and their friends and loved ones to have an experience that they wouldn’t get anywhere else. “From the moment guests enter Airlock 2-1B to board The Ark (the name of the spaceship that houses Space Bar) they are transported to another world. That feeling of being somewhere different and unique continues throughout the experience. There is a subtle story happening in the background where the idea is that The Ark travels throughout the cosmos in search of unique ingredients and flavors that are then incorporated into all the food and beverages that are served in Space Bar,” Barry said. What the couple has enjoyed the most, outside of seeing others enjoy their creation, has been the actual planning that went behind the
Space Bar is located at 179 N Steven Oaks Drive within the AMC theater. Kailee Harris / The Daily Beacon bar. So many of their loved ones were involved in the construction and planning, so a lot of their favorite memories of the bar come from those moments. “Almost everything inside Space Bar was built by hand by us with help on various projects coming from staff, friends, and family. Even the companies that we hired for things like the vinyl graphics on the walls are owned by
friends and neighbors,” the couple said. Barry also added that the time he spent with their team, as well as the time he spent with his wife while working on the project, were memories that he will always cherish. Space Bar is open Thursday through Saturday from 5 p.m. until midnight (11 p.m. on Thursdays) and is located at 179 N Seven Oaks Dr.
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The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, March 23, 2022
‘Balanced intensity:’ Xül Beer Company expands craft beer in Knoxville, other states KEENAN THOMAS Senior Staff Writer
Brad West (left) and Bently Blackshear (right) present a variety of selections at Xül Beer on Friday, March 18, 2022. Keenan Thomas / The Daily Beacon
Xül Beer Company brews craft, experiential and easy drinking beers in Knoxville. The brewery started when co-founders Bentley Blackshear and Brad West met in late 2018 at a festival. They got to work on the company and the name in 2019 before opening their doors in Oct. 2020. A large part of their process in creating the company was finding a name to represent themselves and draw people in to ask questions. This is why they landed on the name Xül Beer Company. “We liked the fact it jumped off the page and it made you ask a whole lot of questions about, ‘Where are these guys from? What kind of beer is it? What the hell is this about? What does this word even mean?’” Blackshear said. “It’s kind of partly a three pronged meaning behind it,” West said. “A lot of people associate it with ‘Ghostbusters,’ but it’s definitely not 100% that. It was kind of one of the things, that we’re big into ‘80s pop culture and that fit. But it’s also a character from one of my favorite video games in the ’90s. And then, if you look it up on Urban Dictionary, it’s got a pretty cool meaning as well. It’s meant to be a mysterious thing that gets people to ask the question, ‘What is Xül?’” They currently operate out of one location at 213 E. Fifth Ave. near the Old City. With giant
skull key door handles, they hold several events throughout the year including a trivia night on Tuesdays. They will have a special one night deal for students 21 and older at the University of Tennessee on Friday, March 25, with 25% off if you show them a valid student ID. Outside of events, they said that people bring in their families, come in for date nights and hold get togethers with friends in the taproom. While they operate out of this location, it is currently undergoing an expansion. This will allow them to increase their production of beer to meet the demand for it, as they currently sell out often right after they opened. “We were open for seven or eight months and we were like, ‘We do not have enough beer to meet the demand,’ and so we made the decision there to start our expansion,” West said. “We finally just got tanks in and installed, and we’re about to go from 100 barrels to 250 barrels.” They distribute their beer all over Knox County and throughout most of Tennessee. For example, they just made a deal with the Graduate Knoxville to sell their beer in the hotel. They also do beer drops in several states, which is when they bring a limited quantity of beer to those states to sell. “We self-distribute inside of Knox County right now to anybody that wants it,” West said. “We’ll do some drops here and there in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida and Illinois. So, we’re set up in those areas for distribution, we just can’t make enough beer to send out.” This expansion will allow them to send out beer within those states, as well as locally on a regular schedule. They hope to grow their company on a national level, as they do these drops and represent Xül at various festivals across the country. For example, they’re about to bring Xül to festivals in Miami, Florida, and New York City soon. “Growth is harder to measure, I would say,” Blackshear said. “And how you are able to take a local brand and make it nationally relevant, and that’s absolutely a goal of ours, and I think we’re very happy with the progress that we are making there as well.” Along with increasing the quantity of beer,
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Xul Beer’s interior invites guests to stay and chat over the variety of drink o�erings. Friday, March 18, 2022. Keenan Thomas / The Daily Beacon
this expansion will allow Xül to consistently brew certain beers to always be available for distribution. Specifically, they said that the Paper Crowns India Pale Ale and the Toro Y Oso Mexican lager will be two beers that they want to keep making to continually sell. Even as they grow, they want to continue providing craft beers to Knoxville first. With almost a year and a half in business, they’ve been overwhelmed by the local response to their beer. “It’s definitely better at this point already than I could have ever imagined,” West said. “We’ve gotten a lot of support from the community, of course locally and regionally. And also from UT. We get a lot of UT students in.” Both UT graduates, they’re glad to see more and more students come into their taproom. They attribute this support and success to their beer.
We want everything to be an experience. BRAD WEST Xül co-owner
They brew a variety of craft beers, including sours, stouts, lagers, pilsners, ciders and IPAs. They design some of their beers to be a specialty drink that you sit down to experience, whereas some of their other beers are more recreational to drink along with friends. “The core theory of what we do around our beer here is that we want to make something that is incredibly attractive, aggressive or sexy on Instagram or whatever is going to draw you in and be like, ‘I have to drive across town and taste this, this sounds crazy,’” Blackshear said. “And then after and beyond that, we want to have some really great drinkable options that once you’re in our taproom and you’re enjoy-
ing the environment and the aesthetic that we’ve created there, if you don’t want to nerd out on beer and you want to enjoy hanging out with your friends, we’ve got those … drinkable beers.” Blackshear clarified that a few of the drinks on selection are what he calls “experiential beers” that “you drink and you think about” the flavors, like their pastry stouts and hazy IPAs. This is in comparison to some of their lighter and more casual options, like the It’s a School Night pilsner. Blackshear talked about designing the recipes for these beers. They go through extensive taste testing to get the flavors right as well as the balance of those individual flavors so that nothing is too overpowering. “Balanced intensity,” Blackshear said. “There’s a lot of people that will make a beer and go for something and throw a lot of ingredients at it and it tastes like those ingredients, and that’s all good and cool. But for as much as we throw at it, we spend a lot of time messing with rates, really trying to figure out how to balance certain things.” For example, Blackshear described their recently released Sharp Little Teeth beer, which is a mango and habanero pepper infused sour beer. He said that they worked on it to get the mango flavor right as well as the spiciness of the pepper towards the end of each sip, giving it a sweet-heat flavor that’s not dominating on either side. They brew these craft beers to give people new experiences, especially people who are trying them out for the first time. “We want everything to be an experience,” West said. “So, if you’re having a can, then that can art needs to be fire and everything needs to be on point with the taste of the beer. We want people to remember it. If you come to the taproom or have a can, we want to provide the ultimate experience of something badass that’s very good and you can come back to.”
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KNOXVILLE CUISINE
The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, March 23, 2022
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The French Market Crêperie provides sweet, savory, authentic French cuisine EMILY HOLT Staff Writer
The French Market Crêperie is an authentic crêpe restaurant in downtown Knoxville at 412 Clinch Ave. They offer an array of crêpes ranging from sugary sweets to savory lunch options, both as delicious as the other. The restaurant offers food to fit many people’s needs, with gluten-free options as well. The unique spot has been open since 2008 and has been a successful staple in Knoxville ever since, with a second location opened in 2014 in West Knoxville at 161 Brooklawn Street near Farragut. The restaurant is owned by married couple Susan and Allen Tate, who lived in France for several years, and were inspired to bring their own slice of France back to Knoxville. Their goal was to create a spot similar to a bistro where locals and visitors alike could relax and get to know their neighbors. “It’s one of the only French places we have in downtown Knoxville, and most of their products actually come from France as well,” manager Joey Fox said. The owners go the extra mile to ensure their food is as authentic as possible, by sourcing their flour and other materials from French sellers. Their recipes are all made just as the French do, by using cast iron griddles to create their crêpes. The close location to campus makes the French Market a great space for students to
A sweet crêpe with almonds, whipped cream and strawberries on Sept. 5, 2016. File / The Daily Beacon eat, drink authentic European style coffee and study. UT senior Savannah Halley discussed what draws her to the establishment. “I go there pretty often. It’s just a nice place to hang out for a second and drink their coffee
after my morning class. I also really like to get their strawberries and cream crepe,” Halley said. The couple has frequented Europe several times in recent years to explore new recipes and ensure their food is of the highest quality.
“A lot of the savory crepes were taken from a lot of different parts of the world. One of my favorites, the Dutch Krispy, was found in Amsterdam I believe,” Fox said. If you’re looking for something simple and sweet, a great choice is the classic sugar and butter crêpe. The simpler options can be swapped out for lemon or cinnamon as well. If you want to try something more unique, consider the S’mores crêpe, a campfire inspired treat with marshmallows, graham crackers, chocolate chips and whipped cream. The Bavarian cream is the perfect choice for those who love chocolate, as it features a vanilla custard spread with dark chocolate and whipped cream. For those who aren’t too keen on sweets, the restaurant offers savory options as well. “A really good one is our Monte Cristo, which is kind of based on the classic sandwich, and it’s ham with Swiss cheese and strawberry jam,” Fox said. For anyone who is looking for a more filling lunch, a great choice is the turkey breast, spinach and artichoke crêpe that also comes with Swiss cheese. An adventurous option is the Canadian, which includes American bacon, Swiss cheese, a scrambled egg and maple syrup, served inside a buckwheat crêpe. The French Market Crêperie is open seven days a week and its downtown location is just a quick one mile walk or five minute drive from campus for those looking for a study spot, but both locations offer excellent French aesthetics and ambiance.
‘A real community effort:’ Jacks of Knoxville serves up fresh brews, locally made goods AUTUMN HALL Staff Writer
When Jacks of Knoxville opened its first location at 133 S. Gay Street in 2019, it brought a new sense of culture into the heart of the Knoxville community. Its founders, Logan and Katherine Higgins, set out to sell not only their own Jacks Avenue goods, but to create a space for local and regional sellers of all kinds. At the shop’s grand opening, a local coffee cart, Highline, joined Jacks to help with the celebration. After this intended one-time popup, Highline’s owners, Mark and Kendell Lilly, decided to stay with Jacks for the long haul. Hollie Sikes, an experienced Barista at Jacks, elaborated on the sense of community collaboration that can be felt within the shop. “I started at Jacks when it was just me and two other baristas on staff, as well as a manager and obviously the owners. This was a year and a half ago, before the second location
had even opened. I clicked with the team right away and have always felt really supported by the owners, not just while clocked in but in my extracurricular pursuits as well … Jacks is a real community effort if I’ve ever seen one and there’s really been nothing more inspiring than getting to watch it grow over the years,” Sikes said. Since its opening, the shop has expanded to a new location, which opened at 854 N. Central Street in early 2021. Sikes explained the uniqueness of the shop and its variety of shopping options. “There’s coffee, there’s plants, there’s a really wide selection of home goods and gifts, etc. It’s kind of a one-stop shop … The stuff for sale is always so dangerous for me working there — I always joke that they need to just keep half my paycheck because it winds up cycling back in,” Sikes said. Jacks is a hotspot for the cultivation of art and expression within Knoxville, as it serves a wide array of different purposes for its shoppers. With Jacks’ variety of coffee and menu
options, as well as its selection of locally sourced products, there is something for just about anyone’s studying or shopping needs. Sikes described the sense of inclusion represented through Jacks and how it has quickly become an integral part of Knoxville. “I think there’s something special about the way that Jacks has planted itself firmly in the little web of downtown Knoxville. Everyone knows Jacks in some way or another. I truly love Knoxville for all that it is, so it’s really awesome working for a place that feels so integrated with its city.” “A significant portion of the staff is made up of UTK students and the owners are really great about hearing us out as employees and trying to meet us where we’re at with what we need, so in a lot of ways the shop is constantly shifting and adapting behind the scenes based on the ideas and issues that we as students bring to the table,” Sikes said. With many UT students who work at Jacks or enjoy going for a calm, quiet atmosphere where they can do homework or meet with
friends, it has quickly blossomed into a Knoxville hotspot. Ben Teffeteller, a senior at UT, explained the first time he found out about Jacks and how it came to be one of his favorite Knoxville coffee shops. “I remember when the new location had just opened. I had never heard of Jacks, probably because I don’t go Downtown often enough. I saw the sign on the building that used to be The Hive, and after looking Jacks up I knew I wanted to go there and try it out. Who doesn’t love plants and coffee put together? I absolutely loved it. I go there all the time now, and I really like their drip coffee,” Teffeteller said. Because of its proximity to campus — a six minute drive to the N. Central Street location or a five minute drive to the S. Gay Street location — Jacks is a great option for after school study sessions, friend group get-togethers or a quick shopping trip. For more information, or to place an order, visit the Jacks of Knoxville website.
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The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, March 23, 2022
Wednesday, March 23, 2022 • The Daily Beacon
K NOXV I L L E FOOD TOUR
START HERE
Progressive dinner: A unique way to explore Knoxville’s culinary scene MADELYN MUSCHEK City News Editor
END
Where to eat and what to order: The Daily Beacon editorial staff highlights their favorite local restaurants and menu items.
DESSERT
DRINKS
Moonshine Mountain Cookie Company — Mint Jagger cookie Hey Bear Café — Taro and sesame latte with half tapioca and half egg pudding Kopita Authentic Mediterranean — Baklava Ham ‘n Goodys — Famous Lemon Cookies Cruze Farms — Affogato Wildlove Bakehouse — Chocolate croissant Cruze Farms — Chocolate dipped sweet cream cone Emilia — Butterscotch budino Moonshine Mountain Cookie Company— Choco Khan cookie Moonshine Mountain Cookie Company — Rocky Top cookie The Phoenix Pharmacy and Fountain — Classic Brownie Sundae
Remedy Coffee — Iced vanilla latte with oat milk and honey, extra ice Honeybee Coffee Co. — Iced mocha latte with extra mocha The Golden Roast — Kookaburra Hey Bear Café — Iced green tea with peach flavoring and strawberry popping Capybara Coffee — Iced lavender vanilla latte with almond milk Awaken Coffee — Chicory Root cold brew Honeybee Coffee — Iced honey latte with macadamia nut milk Hello Tea House — Coconut boba Corner 16 — Orange Dreamsicle Soda Smoothie King — Pineapple Surf Remedy Coffee — Crimson Hibiscus Tea
APPETIZER Nama — Crab and asiago dip Sitar Indian Cuisine — Vegetable samosas Nama — Crispy Veggie Roll Smoky Mountain Brewery — Thunder Road Shrimp Anaba Japanese — Miso soup Sullivan’s - Chicken almond soup Café 4 — Fried green tomatoes Kaizen — Eggplant bao bun Soccer Taco — Queso Fundido Double Dogs — Bo’s Dog Bowl Nachos Blackhorse Pub and Brewery — Crispy Brussels
ENTREE
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Sitar Indian Cuisine — Vegetable korma Sticky Rice Café — Seafood salad (Yam Seafood) with sticky rice Kopita Authentic Mediterranean — Mezze Platters Fin-Two Japanese Ale House — Tonkotsu Ramen Yassin’s Falafel House — Falafel Wrap with extra feta Kaizen — Dan Dan noodles Stock & Barrel — The Farmhouse Burger Taco Boy — Arroz con Pollo Victor’s — Carne Asada Tacos Kefi — Souvlaki
The definition of a progressive dinner is a dining experience in which the dinner itself is split into appetizers, mains and desserts, from three different restaurants and all within walking distance from each other. The fun part of this outing is the variety, the ability to try new foods and restaurants and the walkability. Progressive dinners are designed to be walkable, so not only are they a new way to explore Knoxville as you taste, but also as you continue to walk the city. Here is a suggestion of a progressive threecourse dinner menu, created with walkability and variety in mind. For these reasons, it takes place in downtown Knoxville and the Old City.
within walking distance from Osteria Stella. The cookies at Myrtle’s Bakehouse are a great size for sharing, too. Their most popular flavors include The OG — a chocolate chip cookie with two types of chocolate and sea salt — and Pucker Up, a sugar cookie with a lemon glaze. Another possible suggestion is Cruze Farms for ice cream. Especially as the nights start getting warmer, it’s hard to beat a refreshing chocolate-dipped cone from Cruze Farms on Gay Street. A bonus suggestion to this list is a place for drinks, for those 21 and older. This would be best done either before or after the appetizers course. For this additional course, Brother Wolf, Osteria Stella’s sister bar, would work best.
Appetizer The first course of this progressive dinner is an appetizer, which works best with something light in order to ensure some energy to get to your next destination. With that in mind, Kefi is the way to go. Located at 120 E. Jackson Avenue, Kefi is a restaurant inspired by Mediterranean and Greek cuisine, where one of the best parts of the meal is the appetizers — or mezze plates. Kefi has a wide variety of appetizers available, including hot and cold mezze, salads and a Mediterranean flatbread section. For the appetizers here, try the spicy feta and Baba Ghanoouj spreads, the Halloumi cheese mezze, the Avgolemono Soupa, the Fattoush Salata or the falafel.
Main course
Cruze Farms is a family friendly ice cream shop specializing in soft serve and milkshakes. File/ The Daily Beacon
For the main course of this progressive dinner, it has to be Osteria Stella. Located at 108 W. Jackson Avenue in the Old City, Osteria Stella is an authentic Italian restaurant, specializing in cuisine from northern Italy and Milan, specifically. One of the highlights of the dining experience at Osteria Stella is their location, set right next to Brother Wolf, the restaurant’s twin bar. This bar features genuine Italian cocktails and a small menu of appetizers, so there’s sure to be something for everyone. For main courses, their pasta dishes and meat dishes are the way to go. For pasta, try the rigatoni cacio e pepe and the bucatini all’Amatriciana. For meat dishes, try the pollo al marsala and the ossobuco, a breaded veal shank served with gremolata.
Dessert For dessert in this area, it’s hard to choose just one place to go. At 333 West Depot Avenue, Myrtle’s Bakehouse makes some of the best cookies Knoxville has to offer. Myrtle’s Bakehouse is located inside of Marble City Market,
Kefi dip flight features Hummus, Tzatziki, Muhammara Photo courtesy of o�cial Kefi Facebook page
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The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, March 23, 2022
OPINION: Best Japanese food in Knoxville sake, beer or whiskey. Izakaya is casual dining meant to highlight the social outing rather than the food itself. However, I find it hard to pay attention to what my friends are saying once those bao buns hit the table as our starter. If I’m not trying out an entrée I haven’t had before, I’ll stick with my classic favorite Dan Dan noodles, but every other choice I’ve had has been memorable and usually turned into a recommendation for whoever I’m with. I’m having a hard time writing about it right now without taking a ride down there and ordering the takoyaki with the dry fry eggplant.
ERIN GWYDIR Opinions Editor
When I first moved to Knoxville, I was very enthusiastic about the city. It doesn’t stand out when compared to other cities in the region besides being host to the reputable University of Tennessee. However, the main thing that made me embrace the unique value Knoxville has to offer was the food. People from all backgrounds concentrate in cities — no matter how scruffy or small — and with them will come a beauty that, in my opinion, is best shown through food. Cuisine is more than an outing with friends and family, it’s a representation of culture and love put into a time of sharing and peace away from the hardships of the day or the summit of celebration for important chapters of life. It’s a warm hug to your heritage and a chance to add to it with your own creativity and care. Even if you’re not chef-ing it up, enjoying food with people you care about is just as important. Just ask your closest English major; breaking bread has been a symbol for so much more than filling an empty stomach for centuries. Sharing a meal often means an acknowledgement of trust and peace between parties as well as important times in many cultures for breaking fasts for religious reasons. Transcending all possible divisions in language, beliefs and class, sharing cuisine is the universal symbol of unity. Far be it for the sharing of those diverse styles of food to be lost on good ole’ dirty Knox. My favorite spot to introduce friends to is Kaizen in Old City. Kaizen is a small restaurant that embraces Japanese food Izakaya style. Izakaya can be most closely compared to Spanish Tapas in their purpose. They are small plates usually served with
A traditional bun served at Kaizen on Nov. 1, 2017. File / The Daily Beacon
The executive chef and owner of Kaizen is Jesse Newmister, who trained in Charleston, South Carolina, and Louisville, Kentucky. Newmister chose to incorporate other styles such as Szechuan and Thai into his menu at Kaizen, and I’m not complaining. Kaizen’s menu also features a multitude of vegetarian and vegan menu items that don’t hesitate to be the star of the show and usually are featured as daily specials. As much as I love Kaizen, going exploring around the city to find unique foodie spots is one of my favorite things, and I encourage everyone to do so. Chick-Fil-A will always be here for you when you come back. Happy munching! Erin Gwydir is a freshman at UT this year studying political science and cinema studies. She can be reached at egwydir@vols.utk.edu. Columns and letters of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.
Rocky Top Nutrition offers teas, shakes KAITLYN PILCHER Staff Writer
In the past few years, the nutrition tea business has been booming in the South. Knoxville is home to several of the establishments across the city, but one that’s just a short drive from UT’s campus, located at 4457 Kingston Pike, is Rocky Top Nutrition. Rocky Top Nutrition is a tea and shake bar that opened March 28, 2020. Since their opening, they have held a variety of events for students at the university and created drinks for every craving. Whether you’re craving a tasty and energizing drink before working out or a protein shake to take a break and enjoy a nice meal replacement, Rocky Top Nutrition can provide it. As for their teas, their menu includes three different levels, which include aloe, one of their boosters and lift-offs. The aloe included in these teas support healthy digestion and nutrient absorption. You can choose cranberry, mandarin or mango flavored aloe to add to your drink. For their boosters, they have a variety that can promote different functions within the body. This varies anywhere from a collagen beauty booster to those that help to reduce body fat. If you’re stopping by to get a quick drink before going to the gym, you can include a preworkout booster that aids in healthy blood flow and nutrient delivery to your muscles. The lift-offs that are offered come in flavors of lemon-lime, orange, pomegranate and tropical fruit to provide a sweeter taste to your tea. Additionally, they even have combos that are offered in three different levels, as well as funsize, pre-workout and post-workout options. For these combos, you’ll choose one of their shake choices and the tea level you want included with it. Their level one combo includes a meal replacement shake along with a level one tea. However, their fun-size combo includes a half sized shake along with a tea that includes either a liftoff or booster. They have a large choice of different flavored shakes. Within these choices, some of the shake flavors are gluten free. Their shake flavors are divided into six different categories. There is the top-10 list, chocolate, vanilla, peanut butter, fruity and coffee lovers. If you want a small snack to go along with your choice of drink, they also sell protein bars, express meal bars and protein bites. On the other hand, if you’re not looking for a tea or shake to drink, you can order various other options. They offer small shots of their boosters and aloe. Additionally, they sell aloe water, electrolyte sport drinks, iced coffee and a pre-work-
A strawberry lemonade tea is highlighted in front of the Rocky Top Nutrition menu in Knoxville on Wednesday, March 16, 2022. Alexandra Ashmore / The Daily Beacon
out tea. Due to their close proximity to campus, Rocky Top Nutrition is also very involved with students. When the semester started, they offered a 10% discount for students. Furthermore, many sororities have used Rocky Top Nutrition for percentage nights to fundraise money for their chapter. When participating in these nights, it is a very simple process. All one has to do is mention the sorority being sponsored to the cashier. The sorority then earns money for their philanthropy events. Sierra McMillan, a sophomore and member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority, provided information on these percentage nights offered by the store. “It’s a really good place to get a nutritional drink to begin with and they’re super helpful when any sorority wants to hold a percentage night there,” McMillan said. The store also has very promising reviews online and is loved by students and nonstudents alike. The Facebook page for the store posts some of its beloved customers and drink flavors. Elizabeth Archie, a fan of the drinks offered, spoke on the store. “The staff is friendly, the drink options are fantastic and it’s just overall a great place to go to for a drink,” Archie said. If you’re thinking about stopping by Rocky Top Nutrition, their hours range from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday and they are closed on Sundays.
KNOXVILLE CUISINE
Wednesday, March 23, 2022 The Daily Beacon
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Knoxville dining options for your price range: Low- to high-end eateries in the scruffy city MACKENZI DAVIS Staff Writer
Knoxville is known for many things, the University of Tennessee, World’s Fair Park, Quentin Tarantino and the large variety of local cuisines — just to name a few. This scruffy city has many unique dining options, ranging from seafood houses to Mediterranean cuisine. The Market Square and Old City areas of Knoxville contains many of these restaurants, allowing endless options within walking distance for those exploring this beautiful part of the city. Knoxville not only offers a wide variety of different cuisines, but it also allows visitors to pick a restaurant based on their personal budgets. There are equally fantastic restaurants on the cheaper side just as there are on the expensive side. The following restaurants are great options for travelers and locals looking to spend as little or as much money as they want.
Low priced — $ Yassin’s Falafel House One of the most famous dining options among locals, Yassin’s Falafel House is a Mediterranean restaurant known for its freshly made falafels and hummus. The restaurant provides a variety of dining options for customers, including accessible vegan and glutenfree substitutions. Victor’s Taco Shop This locally owned restaurant provides restaurant-goers with an affordable option when seeking Mexican food. The restaurant contains staple Mexican dishes, including but not limited to tacos, enchiladas, burritos and quesadillas. The Half Barrel The Half Barrel is not only known for its endless options of American classics, but it is also known for its bar and large variety of alcoholic beverages. The restaurant has a fun side to it as well, hosting a trivia night every Thursday night, with the chance of prize money for the first, second and third place winners.
Medium priced — $$ Tupelo Honey This restaurant prides itself on its authentic Southern food, perfect for tourists exploring
the Knoxville area and lifestyle. The restaurant serves not only lunch and dinner options, but also a perfect brunch spread including waffles, salads and mimosas for those looking to spice up their morning. Chesapeake’s This restaurant offers fresh seafood for local Knoxvillian seafood lovers. With options ranging from fried to boiled, seafood lovers can’t go wrong with the dishes at this location. For those ordering lobster, the process of cracking the shellfish is performed in front of them by a member of the wait staff. Nama Sushi Bar There are a wide variety of sushi options in Knoxville, however, none quite give customers the experience Nama’s provides. While there are several options other than sushi, their sushi menu contains a number of different rolls. Sushi lovers will not be disappointed by this establishment, especially on their half-priced nights on Mondays and Thursdays, where a select number of rolls are marked down to half the standard price.
High priced — $$$
The exterior of Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar on March 21, 2022. Mackenzi Davis / The Daily Beacon
THE DAILY BEACON
WORSHIP GUIDE 2022
J.C. Holdway This restaurant provides a fine dining experience, from the special treatment offered by the prestigiously trained wait staff to the food itself to the ever-changing seasonal menu. The food is cooked using wood-fire techniques that are reminiscent of the past, providing customers with a unique dining experience as they enjoy the highly selective menu. Ye Olde Steak House With its unique background story, this restaurant contains a variety of options ranging from burgers to ribs. However, they are most famous for their delicious steaks. This restaurant is one-of-a-kind, receiving tourists from all over the country ready to enjoy a delicious flame-grilled steak. Kefi This high-end Mediterranean restaurant provides dishes crafted by the finest experts in cooking. With gluten and vegetarian options available, customers can enjoy a wide variety of foods, as well as cocktails, bourbons, scotch and much more.
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KNOXVILLE CUISINE
The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, March 23, 2022
Potchke Deli opens in historic Regas building with help of A Dopo Sourdough Pizza ABBY ANN RAMSEY Staff Writer
In season five of the hit TV show “Seinfeld,” the title character Jerry Seinfeld and his friend Elaine Bennis stop at a bakery to get babka to bring to a dinner party. Upon the employee informing them that they are out of chocolate babka and will have to settle for cinnamon, Bennis titles it the “lesser babka.” What might just be a quick joke in one of hundreds of Seinfeld episodes served as the inspiration for local Knoxvillian Emily Williams to name her small babka business “Lesser Babka.” Williams began Lesser Babka in Oct. 2020, according to Knox News, and her partner Laurence Faber joined in on the baking and sales. Faber was previously a head pastry chef at Blackberry Farms. The small business run on Instagram with online orders and personal deliveries only grew. What started out of Faber and Williams’ kitchen is now a completely reinvented idea of a Jewish deli. Potchke Deli opened in the historic Regas building on March 18, taking over the space that was previously Vienna Coffee. Williams and Faber worked diligently over the past three months to fit their culinary ideas into the space but did so with the help of their business partners, Brian and Jessica Strutz, the owners of A Dopo Sourdough Pizza. Since 2016, A Dopo has been one of Knoxville’s most popular pizza restaurants — and was even recently placed at No. 38 on Yelp’s list of the country’s top-100 pizza places. Williams and Faber started off as loyal customers of A Dopo, going almost weekly. They forged a relationship with the Strutz’s, aided by the fact that both Brian Strutz and Faber had learned many of their culinary skills working at Blackberry Farms, even though they were not there at the same time. “One day he Instagram DMed me, and I was cooking like Jewish Israeli, Eastern European food, and he was like, ‘why don’t you do this as a restaurant?’” Faber said. “And it was like right when I was putting in my notice at Blackberry that I was like, ‘why don’t I do this?’”
Exterior of the newly opened Potchke Deli in Knoxville on March 21, 2022. Edward Cruz / Contributor
From then on, Faber turned to Strutz as a mentor and looked to him for advice on starting his own restaurant, since his expertise was with food, rather than business. They soon decided, however, to become partners, which was an obvious choice to all of them. “We were like, ‘wait, he’s being my mentor and I’m working with other people, and I keep coming back to him for questions. It would be easier if we all just worked together,’” Faber said. Before launching any big ideas for a restaurant or a deli, A Dopo hosted some pop-up opportunities in their space to test out Faber and Williams’ ideas. They called the pop-ups “Hi
I think every city needs a Jewish gathering place. Knoxville didn’t have that. LAURENCE FABER Co-owner of Potchke Deli
Baby,” derived from the Arabic word “habibi,” which means “my friend” or “my love.” “Those pop-ups led to all of us thinking we could do more together,” Strutz said. Soon after their pop-ups and “local viral” Lesser Babka business, as Strutz called it, Faber and Williams took a two month trip visiting Ukraine, Georgia, Turkey, Paris and New York. They wanted to experience all these different food traditions, and Faber got the opportunity to understand his family’s Jewish history as they originated from Ukraine and Moldova. That trip inspired the majority of their menu at Potchke, which has a bit of culinary influence from just about every country bordering the Black Sea. Although Potchke is a Jewish deli, their menu might not be exactly what you’re expecting. Faber explained that in kosher Judaism, you can have meat and dairy separately, but not together at the same time. While many Jewish delis take the meat route, offering options like pastrami and brisket, Potchke is taking a different approach. “What we’re doing at Potchke is we’re taking the idea of the Jewish deli, and we’re taking inspiration from it, but we’re kind of cooking what we want to eat and how we like to eat, which is a little bit healthier and vegetablefocused than the traditional deli,” Faber said. “We decided to stick with the dairy side and kind of honor the traditions of kosher. We’re not exactly kosher, there’s no rabbi coming in and blessing everything for us, but we stick to the dairy and the fish.” Although they’re not “exactly” following kosher laws, Faber sees a need for a space for Knoxville’s Jewish community to come together.
“Lots of people just don’t really wanna be religious, they want to hold on to their cultural Judaism but not necessarily the religious aspects of it, so a place like Potchke — which is open for everyone, like most people have no idea what Jewish food is and love it — but for Jewish people they get a place to come see other Jewish people they know,” Faber said. “So, I think every city needs a Jewish gathering place. Knoxville didn’t have that.” Appropriately enough, a former café at the Regas building was called “The Gathering Place.” The building is home to countless Christian non-profits and is owned by Knoxville Leadership Foundation, another Christian non-profit, “with a mission to be a gathering place for the community.” Potchke adds a layer of inclusivity to the building, providing a space for the Jewish population in Knoxville. On the surface, it might seem unusual for a sourdough pizza place to partner with a place like Potchke. The four owners, however, have a great deal in common, in terms of their experiences, culinary visions and personal relationships. Years before opening A Dopo, Brian and Jessica Strutz got married and booked one-way tickets to Italy. They lived there for a year, working on farms and gaining inspiration for cooking their own Italian food. Although he worked in personal finance before pursuing his restaurant dreams, Brian Strutz learned countless little things that are now integrated into A Dopo’s pizza style. Everything from their mozzarella-making methods to the name of the restaurant was at least partially inspired by their time abroad. “(‘A dopo’) wasn’t used all the time and we started asking around and translating it, and to us, we heard that phrase when people were gonna meet you for dinner and I was like that’s sweet, it’s this phrase that is kind of colloquial, but it generally means I’m going to meet you later,” Strutz said. Similarly, Faber and Williams’ time abroad had a great influence on their ideas for Potchke, as they utilize so much of what they learned in other countries in their current menu. While you often see business collaborating and owners forging friendships, it seems less common that restaurants owned by couples get to work together. Although Jessica Strutz was a teacher while A Dopo was in the process of getting off the ground, she joined Brian as an equal partner in 2018, which he is incredibly thankful for. “Her joining the restaurant was just a huge, momentous thing for the restaurant, for me, for us, and so now, we’re really just partners in everything we’re doing together, and it’s a lot of fun,” Strutz said. “We get to live a fun life and we’re very happy. We’re happy to be able to contribute to the community and put ideas into execution and take risks.” Faber said the time spent with his partner has only increased since going into business together, and she plays an integral role.
“It’s great, we spend every waking moment together, and we love each other,” Faber said. “It’s cool because we also really complete each other with her at the front of house and me at the back of house, like she’s amazing with design and marketing and all that stuff. We fill in each other’s gaps really well.” Faber said they also admire the Strutz’s vision for food and agree with them wholeheartedly, which positively influences the partnership and their decision to do this together. If Williams completes Faber, A Dopo completes Potchke. “I think we kind of complete each other’s things and how A Dopo treats their staff, how they pay their staff, how their restaurant is run and how they are as managers and owners is all what I look up to,” Faber said. While both restaurants’ visions align, the Strutzes are also interested in opportunities like this as one of their goals is to help other businesses get going. A Dopo, located in downtown Knoxville, provides fresh pizza for customers to enjoy. File / The Daily Beacon
“Long-term, my wife and I want to find ways to support the local food community, and whether that be through mentorship, partnership, financing, passive investment or hosting pop-ups or whatever it is, that’s kind where we wanna focus the future of our career,” Strutz said. “A Dopo is a really solid foundation for us, and having that real estate just sort of gives us a lot of confidence to be able to pursue these types of things.” In terms of capitalizing on the success of A Dopo, the Strutzes are less interested in franchising their business or talking to developers. “We are very much more interested in, like, independent concepts that happen to create a better community for a lot of people: for the diners, for the farmers, for the employees, the cooks,” Strutz said. “It’s just really satisfying to be able to build a food and beverage concept that can A: be profitable, B: be a place people wanna work at and C: be a place that people wanna go, like at least where I want to go, and I think the nexus of those three things is the sweet spot.” Like “A dopo,” “potchke” also has a meaning relevant to the restaurant. The Yiddish word “potchke,” meaning to make a mess, oftentimes in the kitchen, reveals quite a bit of meaning in the mission of Faber and Williams’ new project and future ideas. “I could walk in that closet, and I could just be like moving around, touching stuff, not really sure what I’m doing, I’m ‘potchke-ing,’ that’s another way of saying it, when you’re just kind of like wasting time,” Faber said. “So this, to us, is wasting time while we build a restaurant. That’s where we got the name.”
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KNOXVILLE CUISINE
Wednesday, March 23, 2022 • The Daily Beacon
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Gosh Ethiopian Restaurant creates loyal customers with familial, flavor-filled experience DANIEL DASSOW Campus News Editor
A sign on the window of Gosh Ethiopian Restaurant on March 21, 2022. Edward Cruz / Contributor
In Ethiopia, the word “gosh” translates to something like “bravo!” — a congratulations for a job well done. Gosh Ethiopian Restaurant, tucked onto Sutherland Avenue, was named for a restaurant in Ethiopia owned by the parents of chef Terri Woldemichael, whose dream was to open a similar place in Knoxville. The word “bravo” applies well to the eatery, which opened in 2011 and has since become an acclaimed fixture, serving up dishes that are difficult to find anywhere else in the city. The small menu consists mostly of vegetable and
beef stews, simmered in flavorful sauces and served with injera, a fermented flatbread that is the staple of Ethiopian cuisine. Terri and her husband Mike Woldemichael, both immigrants from Ethiopia, own and operate the restaurant as a family business. After graduating from UT in 2009 with a degree in nuclear engineering, Mike Woldemichael faced the tough job market created by the 2008 recession. After working various jobs and saving up, the couple took the leap of opening the restaurant. Mike Woldemichael said it has been the fulfillment of many wishes for the family. “It’s my wife’s dream. She wanted always to open her own business, especially a restaurant. This is like a family tradition. Her parents, they are business people, so she grew up in that environment,” M. Woldemichael said. “It’s an exciting thing to do whatever you love to do, and she enjoys it. If my wife enjoys it, I enjoy it.” Gosh Ethiopian Restaurant is an intimate experience and also an inclusive one, as the menu has options for many diets, especially vegan and vegetarian dishes. In the decade since it began creating a community around Ethiopian food, Gosh has attracted a loyal customer base. M. Woldemichael said these customers were the key to surviving the hardest months of the
COVID-19 pandemic. Though he has worked as an engineer since 2013 in addition to running the restaurant with his wife, he said rent and utility payments were still hard to make, even with the additional income. “Our loyal customers, they were really being nice to us. Even though they didn’t need it, they ordered like twice a week just to support us,” M. Woldemichael said. “We are blessed to have good customers, very loyal customers.” Content about Ethiopian food has expanded on social media in recent years. The hashtag “#ethiopianfood” yields 240,000 results on Instagram and nearly 140 million views on TikTok. Some customers have come into the restaurant after trying and failing to make recipes they saw online, especially the tricky injera, which must be fermented for three days and is hard to make without the specific climate, elevation and ingredients of Ethiopia. In a show of community, the restaurant has given not only tips, but also fermentation starters to customers who need help making the bread at home. In addition to loyal customers, the restaurant has also attracted committed staff, who feel like family to the Woldemichaels. Deizel Grubb, a third-year student at UT in the 3+1 program for pharmacy, has worked at Gosh for almost four years. Grubb’s sister worked at the restaurant be-
fore him, and his mother is from the Ethiopian capital city Addis Ababa, just like Terri Woldemichael. For him, the job has always felt like a family affair. Now, as he prepares to leave Knoxville for graduate studies at the UT Health Center in Memphis, Grubb is thankful for the support of his adopted family at Gosh. “Every family, it’s about compromise. I like the idea that if I’m doing well, they’re doing well,” Grubb said. “It’s a very open relationship with them, where if I got a better opportunity, I’m not afraid to go to them and be like, ‘hey, I gotta go to grad school soon.’ … They want to see me thrive.” Gosh is open Wednesday through Friday from 5-8 p.m. and on Saturdays from 4-8 p.m. Grubb said that the short hours and small menu contribute to the unique dining experience. “We’re not open very long and we don’t have many things on the menu,” Grubb said. “What we do have, it’s all really good. Like what we do make is really good here. I feel like it’s really adventurous food, but it’s all good and there’s always something for someone in here. I’ve never had anyone leave here disappointed.”
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Brain food: Some of Knoxville’s best study-friendly eateries CALEIGH ROZMENOSKI Managing Editor
Eating is an important part of anyone’s day, a great pastime and something that is pretty much unavoidable. Much like eating, studying is also unavoidable and necessary for most college students. However, it’s fair to say that almost anyone would choose eating over studying. That’s why it can be a great idea to combine them and eat while you study. It’s best to do this in a casual setting that welcomes long-term guests, like coffee shops and bakeries. Here are just a few local, Knoxville eateries — mostly for those with a sweet tooth — to hole up in, satisfy your cravings and get work done. Remedy Coffee and Paysan Bread & Bagels Located on 800 Tyson Street and 804, respectively — making it less than a 10-minute drive from campus — Remedy Coffee and _Paysan Bread & Bagels are neighbors. Remedy is open weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and weekends from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Paysan is open everyday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Remedy is a cozy, aesthetic coffee shop with a darker vibe ready to fulfill all your study needs. Meanwhile, Paysan is just across the
courtyard with a walk-up window and a full menu of bagels, breads and sandwiches. There is free, accessible street parking, free wi-fi and all the coffee and bagels one could need for a successful study session away from home. Hey Bear Cafe Rather than coffee, Hey Bear Cafe offers an extensive menu of boba tea with dozens of flavors and topping to meet the needs of any bubble tea-lover. A little farther from campus, Hey Bear is located on 9036 Middlebrook Pike, making it about a 15-minute drive. However it is open late, so it works for those late nights after class. Hey Bear is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. There is plenty of available parking, free wifi and indoor/outdoor seating. There are food trucks located near their outdoor seating everyday of the week, and the food truck schedule is available on their website. Hey Bear also hosts pop-ups shops by local artists, trivia nights every Thursday and even live music for your breaks from studying. Status Dough One might not immediately think of a doughnut shop when deciding where to study,
The exterior of Remedy Coffee, adjacent to Paysan Bread & Bagels, at 800 Tyson St. on Sunday, March 20, 2022. Ericksen Gomez-Villeda / The Daily Beacon
but Knoxville is home to dozens. With two locations in Knoxville at 6535 Kingston Pike and 418 S. Gay Street, you can choose to walk or drive to _taus Dough to meet your artisanal doughnut needs. Status Dough strives to become a third place for customers, outside of their home and work — an open invitation to set up shop and get whatever school work you have done. There is even free wi-fi there as well.
The Kingston Pike location is a bit more accessible, with available parking and weekday hours going from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. and weekend hours from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Parking will be harder to find for the Downtown location and the hours are much more limited — Friday 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and weekend hours from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
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The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, March 23, 2022
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5. 1. Kabuki by Ericksen Gomez-Villeda / The Daily Beacon 2. Rocky Top Nutrition by Alexandra Ashmore / The Daily Beacon 3. Nama Sushi Bar. File / The Daily Beacon 4. Remedy Co�ee by Ericksen GomezVilleda / The Daily Beacon 5. Xül by Keenan Thomas / The Daily Beacon
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