Dinner at Ristorante Della Santina

At long last, my friends and I finally made a reservation for dinner at Ristorante Della Santina. This restaurant has been open for a while so I was excited when it was time to go. The dinner at Ristorante Della Santina made for a nice summer evening—Italian style!

The restaurant is located at 2004 Red Bank Rd. so it was only minutes away from our meeting point.

We made a reservation for 6:00 on a Thursday evening because we heard that it can be busy on the weekends. This worked out well because we were seated immediately at a table of our choice.

My friends and I do appreciate a nice tablecloth for a dining experience.

The restaurant offers pasta, seafood, chicken, and other specialities. We decided on our entrees: lasagna and eggplant parmigiana. Spaghetti is always my second choice, but the lasagna was the entree for this first dinner at Della Santina.

We loved the fresh Cesar salad and homemade dressing. Delightful starter.

Anita’s eggplant parmigiana was excellent. I am looking at this picture and want some now.

This picture may not capture the height of the lasagna, but it was a generous portion. Leftovers later!

It is hard to find Spumoni so I had to order it. Spumoni is an Italian milk sherbet with 3 flavors: cherry, pistachio, and chocolate. Ristorante Della Santina serves Spumoni covered in a chocolate shell. Divine!

Always be sure to order Spumoni if you can find it!

Don’t you appreciate a nice to-go container? This is a good one.

We enjoyed our dinner at Ristorante Della Santina very much and plan to return soon to celebrate Elaine’s birthday. I would say that is the nicest Italian restaurant in Sevier County and a good destination for a special dinner. A little more than 5 miles from downtown, it is worth the drive through Dolly Parton Parkway to get your taste of Italy.

Buon appetito!

Tamale Express

We heard about a new restaurant at 1354 Dolly Parton Parkway, in the small strip mall east of Sevier County High School. I had heard good things about it so Lisa and I decided to give it a try on Thursday after work. I liked Tamale Express very much and recommend it for foodies and people who like to try new things. This is not a typical Mexican restaurant that has chips and salsa as soon as you sit down. No Margaritas and maybe no tamales on a regular basis. However, Tamale Express brings something new to the local food scene.

We entered the restaurant and ordered at the counter. I ordered a #1 and Lisa ordered a #2. Be ready because the portions are generous and filling.

Birria is a meat stew or soup made with meat (beef in this case) and marinated with adobo made of spices, dried chiles, garlic, herbs, vinegar and cooked in a broth. It was excellent and not too spicy at all.

To our great regret, the restaurant was out of Choco-Flan. Next time! Also, we will try the street corn next time as well.

The fresh add on station was very nice with two kinds of salsa, cilantro, and more. We admired the beautiful tiles on the side of the of station.

The cashier remembered me saying that I had a late afternoon snack so he cut the sandwich in half and thoughtfully put the other half in a to-go box. My barrio torta had the softest bread—delightful! Dipping it into the liquid reminded me of another favorite sandwich: the French Dip. Very nice and not too spicy. The sandwich was quite thick so half for me was perfect.

Lisa’s tacos were excellent and she was able to dip them into the broth as well. Order a Jarritos soft drink! We ordered lime soda as a treat.

We loved the small little add-ons on the fresh bar. A little bit of lime and cilantro makes it extra good.

Of course, we loved the Frida Kahlo art displayed in the restaurant.

Iconic!

Screenshots from Google Images had given me ideas of what to expect at the restaurant. Choco-Flan!

In summary, Tamale Express offers something special for those who crave Mexican food that is different from the other places in town. We arrived around 5:00, probably earlier than the usual dinner time so the restaurant was not busy. We enjoyed a quiet, very authentic dinner just yards away from the high school. We plan on going again soon—but next time we will make sure that they have some Choco-Flan waiting for us!

Red’s Cafe: Second Mural in Downtown Sevierville

The second mural in downtown Sevierville seemed to pop up quickly and quietly in the summer of 2020 during the pandemic. Finally, I am finally writing about this interesting piece of public art downtown. Here is a look at the second mural in downtown Sevierville: Red’s Cafe.

According to local historian, Carroll McMahan, ‘Red’ Clevenger was named for his red hair. He grew up in Newport and worked for the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) before buying the Rainbow Inn Restaurant on Chapman Highway. Later, he married, sold his business, was drafted into the army during WWII and fought in the Battle of the Bulge, receiving a Purple Heart. Clearly, Red Clevenger lived quite a life up to that time!

McMahan tells how Red returned home and built a cafe on Bruce Street in downtown Sevierville. Click the link and scroll down to # 3 to read more of Carroll McMahan’s stories about Red Clevenger, his kindness, generosity—and a keen sense of humor. It is so appropriate that this local citizen was memorialized on the second mural in downtown Sevierville. Here is a link to Carroll McMahan’s writing about Red Clevenger.

The Red’s Cafe mural in downtown Sevierville is facing the courtyard of the Appalachian Restaurant on Bruce Street. It is also located on the brick wall of Wanderlust Spa and Salon. This photo captures an interesting aspect of the mural, visible through the gazebo on Bruce Street.

Red’s Cafe depicts local businessman Paul “Red” Clevenger serving one of his famous hamburgers to a young child sitting at the counter. The child is Dolly Parton, who came to the cafe with her father and enjoyed Red’s special hamburgers during her youth.

Click this link from the Visit Sevierville Youtube webpage to hear Dolly tell the story herself.

In honor of this special place, Dolly added a Red’s Cafe eatery at her Dollywood theme park to memorialize one of her favorite places to eat in Sevierville. Everyone who has visited Dollywood since 1995 has strolled by Red’s Cafe in the Jukebox Junction area of the park. Naturally, the specialty at this Dollywood restaurant is hamburgers!

Visitors can read more information about Red Clevenger on the walls of Red’s Cafe in Dollywood. One story recounts the kindness of the cafe owner to families who would sometimes buy a hamburger and cut it in half for their younger children. In a generous move, Red would remark that the child looked “big enough to eat a whole burger by themselves” so he would throw an extra hamburger on the grill.

I was lucky to observe the artists in action on August 17, 2020. You can see the preliminary work and the ‘doodle grid’ that helps artists create murals on large areas.

The artists are from Asheville, North Carolina.

You can see more art from Smoky Mountain Mural Company on Instagram.

Here, the illustration of the young Dolly Parton begins to emerge on the mural. The artists usually begin a mural at night by projecting an image on the wall, but it did not work for this mural so they used a second technique called a ‘doodle grid.’ For that, the artists determined the area, designed a square grid by chalking out lines, drew the base prime image and circled them. The swirls and graffiti help to anchor the mural spaces visually, then the artists take another picture of the wall, use an overlay and mark the spacing of the subjects.

See the artists explain their process on the Visit Sevierville TikTok app page. Here is a link.

The Dollywood blog also has stories about Red and his cafe. You can see a picture of Red and his wife Lois in that article as well. Click the photo below to link to the Dollywood blog.

The mural had been finished for 11 months by the time that I visited again on July 17, 2021 when I visited the downtown Sevierville Farmer’s market to do some shopping. A favorite, the Sevierville Cruze Farm store had a table set up with milk and ice cream. One of the Cruze Farm helpers was dressed in the unique Cruze Farm dress so I asked if I could take her picture in front of the mural and they kindly obliged. This cute young lady posed with cup of ice cream as if to to toast Dolly, Red Clevenger, and a favorite place to eat in downtown Sevierville decades earlier.
It was perfect.

There are now three murals located on Bruce Street: two outdoor murals and one mural inside 10 Realty. Bruce Street is certainly an exciting place to explore art and more. See you out and about in Sevierville.

Barbecue in the Mountains: Preacher’s Smokehouse

After visiting a friend in the area, we decided to try a little barbecue place that we found on our drive to Pittman Center. Located on 2929 Pittman Center Rd., the restaurant serves locals and visitors alike. As it turned out, we found some of the tastiest barbecue in the mountains.

A place to gather together and eat meat. A meat eatery.

Preacher’s Smokehouse

You will notice the gravel entrance and parking lot with a beautiful view of the mountains in the background.

Preacher’s Smokehouse is appropriately located in a cabin with a nice little front porch. The woodpile on the right side lets you know the authenticity of the food. In addition, I think that I remember some picnic tables outside to the right of the building.

I got a pork meal combo with two sides. Next time, I will try the brisket or burnt ends from the menu. I have never tried burnt ends, but they sound so good. We thought that the prices were reasonable too.

Step up to the window. Ordering is easy.

If you get here at the right time, then you can have what appears to be the ‘best seats in the house.’

The sides were excellent and the sizes were quite generous. If you have a light appetite, you could easily share with a friend. Later on, I realized that I had not taken many pictures of the food so the following are screenshots that I found online from other happy customers.

According to the Preacher’s Smokehouse Facebook page, it may be a good idea to check before you drive out there because they frequently sell out of barbecue— and that would be a monumental disappointment!

Here is a link: https://www.facebook.com/preacherssmokehouse

Limited hours and limited days open make Preacher’s Smokehouse a particularly special place to get barbecue.

Monday:CLOSED, Tuesday:CLOSED, Wednesday:CLOSED

Thursday:11:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Friday:11:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Saturday:11:00 AM – 7:00 PM

Sunday:CLOSED

Phone number: (865)332-9731

Writing this story has whet my appetite and I look forward to a return trip soon to Preacher’s Smokehouse.

Save some burnt ends for me!

Sevierville Commons Art Crawl 2017

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It was a warm, glorious evening at the Sevierville Commons Art Crawl last week. It is the primary fundraising event so we look forward to it all year. With a wood-working art theme, the event was like a relaxing stroll with food and drink. Stroll along here with us to see what we enjoyed during the Art Crawl 2017.

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This was our first sight on Bruce Street. XXX Moonshine has two locations: Pigeon Forge and Wears Valley. They have a great tent and their vendors are fun to talk to. In addition, Tennessee XXX Moonshine has collaborated with Dark Horse comics, creator of the Hellboy character in print and movies, to produce Hell Boy Hell Water Cinnamon Whiskey. To find out more, click the link below. Amazing things happening with this local distillery.

https://www.send2press.com/wire/hellboy-hell-water-selects-xxx-distillery-llc-of-sevierville-and-pigeon-forge-tennessee/

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Around the corner, we found delights from one of our favorite downtown restaurants: Bistro 109. Owner, Dustin Manning, brought our favorite items on the menu: orange-cranberry chicken salad, hummus with cucumber slices, and sweet potato fries. The table presentation is always beautiful.  We came back for dinner here later. Divine!

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Stefanie Johnson greeted us at the main table and helped us to get acclimated to the event.  We bought our tickets in advance at Citizens National Bank. (I got mine at the Kroger branch because they are open until 7:00 p.m.) After giving her the tickets and showing ID, we received wrist bands and began the evening.

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Next, we ran into Sevierville Commons Arts Council member, Andrea Wilson. I was delighted to see her in this top because we were both wearing Cabi! She knew that and gave me quite a surprise. Fun!

Friday’s restaurant had a nice  treat. I think that it was Jack Daniels chicken. The servings were generous. We also got a coupon for a free appetizer. Good deal!

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Sara serves treats from Courthouse Donuts. Get ready for some new things on the menu there!

Mom’s Vintage Kitchen offered her home-made pumpernickel bread and pimento cheese with a home-made puff. It was probably the best bread and pimento cheese that I have ever had. There were about 5 different kinds of cheeses in that pimento cheese. Oh my!

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Art Crawl attendees enjoying the evening as the sun went down.

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We are always glad to see Healthy Balance at local events because we know that they will bring something good for the body. Skewers with tomato, basil, and mozzarella cheese were a great appetizer.

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David Elrod’s friendly smile always attracts attendees to his tent. His presentation and products always contribute to an enjoyable experience.

Old Forge brought several treats. It is apple time!

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Karen and I inspected the beautiful workmanship in the bowls. They were so smooth and lovely. Woodworking artists Roger Jessup, Ralph Obenauf, Otto Preske, and Jackie and Janis Proffitt were available to answer questions about the items and the craft.

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Old Forge Distillery entertains and refreshes.

We were most impressed with the woodworking items from the Sevierville Senior Center.

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Our favorite item was this piece of wood with a photograph transposed on it. I would love to learn to do this technique. What a magnificent keepsake. The sunset is reflected in it.

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The Shantons enjoy sunset on Bruce Street during the Art Crawl.

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Sugarlands Distillery always brings delightful refreshment to local events. Indeed, it is always a crowd pleaser.

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I was delighted to run into my  Dominican Republic travel friends, the Conerly family. They enjoyed the evening as the sun set on Bruce Street. Sophia is a member of the Sevierville Commons Association and always has exciting updates to share about the revitalization of downtown Sevierville. Stay tuned!

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I wanted to linger at Charlotte Wear’s gallery, Charlotte’s Bruce Street Creative,  but time was limited so I grabbed some fliers with info about her October activities. Can’t wait to go there and create something wonderful next month!

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Old Smoky Moonshine brought a nice punch type of drink. They were friendly and ready to help us have a nice evening.

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I always enjoy the music and ‘vibe’ provided by musician Ross Paul Heatherly.  Ask him to play some Hendrix and you won’t be sorry!

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Austin Williams and Stefanie Johnson thanked vendors and attendees for supporting the 2017 Art Crawl. In addition, they drew the name for a winner of the art door prize. It was one of the beautiful bowls that Karen and I had admired earlier in the evening.

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Shadows are falling as the sun sets on Bruce Street. Jim McGill sits at the table ready to help attendees.

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The Pottery House Cafe is our favorite place in Pigeon Forge. Shrimp and grits, anyone? Oh, yes!

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Karen found water and tea located at the gazebo. Such a pretty place in the evening.

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It was so nice to have more time at the Art Crawl this year. Rather than 8:00, the event ended at 8:30 this year. It was so nice to relax while watching the sun go down on the courthouse bell tower. Kudos to the Sevierville Commons Association and the Sevierville Commons Arts Council for an enjoyable September event. We can’t wait for the next one!

Plan on attending the Art Crawl next year. It is one of my favorite ways to get out and about in Sevierville. 

 

Put On Your Thai at Thai Basil: One of Our Favorites in Sevierville

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This is probably the best Thai restaurant in East Tennessee. Maybe the whole state. If you haven’t visited yet, it is time to put on your Thai and go to Thai Basil in Sevierville.

I recently met friends for lunch as it seems to be our favorite gathering place for that. Here are some of our best recommendations. Enjoy!

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This is something to be proud of.

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(Overlook the glare.)  Others recommend Thai Basil as well.

First, here is a link to their lunch menu on the website. http://www.thaibasiltn.com/lunch.html

For lunch, you can order your choice of a starter, main dish, protein, and level of spiciness. Go with mild if you can’t stand much ‘heat.’

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Start with the lemongrass or coconut soup. I came last winter when I wasn’t feeling well and it really helped a lot.

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Spring roll bliss.

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I always order Pad Woonsen with tofu. The noodles are bean thread noodles and very low carb. It is always an explosion of flavors.

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My friend ordered pork with garlic black pepper.

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I like the decor and usually sense a nice ‘zen’ feeling while dining here.

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The pictures on the wall make you want to travel to Thailand soon.

The waitstaff are excellent. They will give you a warm greeting and seat you immediately, if a table is available. The staff are quick and efficient. The food always seems fresh and cooked perfectly. I recommend getting a mild degree of hotness. Medium is too much for me!

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I could write more, but it is time for lunch! If you are a tourist visiting the area, Thai Basil is a local secret. Take a look if you like this kind of feel. Thai Basil is an exotic way to get out and about in Sevierville.

 

 

Mom’s Vintage Kitchen in Downtown Sevierville

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(This restaurant has moved to a new location. Check their Facebook page for updates. )

A new restaurant opened downtown on April 1st and I finally made it there. You are going to love this new place for breakfast and lunch. Take a look now at Mom’s Vintage Kitchen.

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The restaurant is located on Bruce Street next to 20/20 Optical.

There will be a special each day. I hear that the chicken and dumplings special is most popular.

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The vintage decor is charming and will take you back to another time. There are many different places to sit, both tables and stools.

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My favorite sitting area may be the stools.

Christie Champ started as a baker at the Bee’s Knees. Then, she began selling bread and pastries at the Sevierville farmers market last year. When the building space became open, Champ began remodeling in March and Mom’s Vintage Kitchen was open by April 1st.

IMG_4019An employee, Alexis, is pictured left. Christie Champ is pictured right.

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A menu board filled with wonderful possibilities.

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Mom’s Vintage Kitchen specializes in fresh, home-made ‘in-house,’ gluten free products. They also do not cook with oil. In fact, the restaurant is one of the gluten free stops for the Knoxville and Sevierville areas.

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There is a milk-shake bar and ice cream shop there. We love Mayfield’s brand!

Catering is available and they make custom cakes. I took the two pictures below from her menu. I like the ‘doctor’ cake on the left.

 

As if it couldn’t get any better…they are soon going to add gourmet coffee, espressos, lattes, and cappuccinos!

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My friends have already had lunch here and share great reviews. For example, one friend, Tad Wynn, ate there today and gave the food two ‘thumbs up.’ He reports, ” My ham and Swiss sandwich was exceptional – fresh, homemade bread and plenty of ham! They have daily specials, also. I can’t wait to try the beef stew and chicken and dumpling.” Another friend, Sheley Rose, was very impressed with the food this week and wants us to go meet for lunch there next week. She said that she tried several cookies and lemon is her favorite.

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We have a new place to go downtown now so don’t hesitate to visit this restaurant for breakfast or dinner. It will be a gluten free option for many. See you out and about in Sevierville. 

 

A Favorite Downtown Sevierville Restaurant: Bistro 109 !

Whatever the occasion, I always enjoy going to Bistro 109! To prove it, this story has pictures from at least three different visits: summer, fall, and winter. It is quite a delightful experience. In addition, it won the Diner’s Choice in 2015. Let me tell you more about my favorite restaurant in downtown Sevierville.

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Bistro 109 is located at 109 Bruce Street in downtown Sevierville. Hence, the name. Here is a link to the Facebook page   https://www.facebook.com/bistro109/   . In addition, they have a very nice website at http://bistro109.com . The webpage has additional photos and a copy of the menu. Really nice photos!

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Schools were out for flu on Thursday so that presented a rare opportunity to have lunch downtown. I enjoy looking at the specials of the day posted in the window. Tiramisu! Chocolate! Parking is always easy. Usually a space is located in front of the restaurant or not far up the street.

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As you walk in the door, you will see a beautiful Baby Grand (?) piano. Come on Friday and Saturday evenings to hear American standards and other songs played by Brian Whitcomb and Bobby Aiken.

Can you name that tune? This is from last May.

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My favorite part of the restaurant, by far, is the long copper bar. I always find my eyes drifting in that direction. So beautiful.

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Unfortunately, I am a failed blogger as I forgot to take pictures of our lunch yesterday. I ordered the Orange Cranberry Chicken Salad sandwich. It was gone by the time I remembered my camera. I had seen Andrea Wilson at the bar waiting for her lunch order. She recommended the fried okra and told that they serve it year round. I got it for a side with my sandwich and was not disappointed.

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My friends and I enjoyed our December dinner at Bistro 109. One of us ordered a vegetable plate and we all wished that we had ordered it too.

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Breaded fried goat cheese was a delectable appetizer with tomato jam. Will order again and again.

 

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I often order a Cobb salad. The presentation is so nice!

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Karen ordered a pesto pasta dish and some extra cheese. She loved it!

Bread and dipping oil with Italian seasonings. Wonderful.

Bistro 109 offers on and off-site catering. We noticed that  the room was set up and apparently something special was scheduled  for after our visit. Maybe a wedding reception? I’ll bet it was grand.

Here is the back dining room in holiday festive decoration.

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This is one of my favorite places to frequent in Sevierville due to several factors. First, I love the decor and the ambiance because I feel that I have entered a special place. The building is in a historic area of downtown and has great character. Second, the menu offers ‘small plates,’ where you can order some items in a large or a smaller quantity. I rarely see small plates offered on menus so this quite special. Third, the piano music on weekends! Oh my, what a nice touch. Make a request and the talented musicians will surely know the tune you want to hear. Leave a small gratuity to show your appreciation for such artistry. Fourth, it feels like such a special place; yet, you can dress casually if you like. Fifth, the general manager and wait staff are the most professional that I have seen in Sevierville. You won’t find better food and beverage service in the county. Zach is observant, friendly, and has a good sense of humor. He keeps things flowing well. Finally, the owner, Dustin Manning, has kept downtown Sevierville alive in the evenings for years with his restaurant. Dustin is friendly and wants to make sure all customers are happy with their experience. His many talents are evident throughout the restaurant. It is a pleasure to all the senses. You can also see Dustin at his other business, D Garden, in downtown Sevierville. That must be a future blog post this spring!

Here is a link to that business. https://www.facebook.com/DGardenfloratique/

The webpage can be found here for D Garden. Nice!   http://www.mydgarden.com

If you are out and about in Sevierville then follow the sound of piano music and walk into one of the best experiences downtown. You will enjoy your experience at Bistro 109.

Dairy Queen Week 2 Promotion: Free Combo Meals for a Year, November 22, 2016

At the first Dairy Queen promotion last week (for free Blizzards for a year) we learned of another one for this week: free combo meals for a year. The requirement was to be one of the first 100 people to buy a cake at 6:00 a.m. Were there many people in line? Here is what I saw when I arrived at 5:58 a.m.

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The first people in line appeared to be a family and were in great spirits having had little sleep during the evening. I barely got there in time to ask their arrival time in line because the door would open in two minutes. They said that they arrived at 3:15 a.m. to be first at the door. In addition, each one bought a cake; thus each member receives two combo meals per month for a year. This was a good way to maximize waiting time together. I asked if they had a big freezer to which the father responded that he had organized it the night before and there was plenty of room for 4 cakes. Well done!

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I looked at the line and decided that I may make the first 100 cut so I jumped in and was soon this far by 6:05 a.m.

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No one was behind me for several minutes.

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The line movement forward slowed down after a while because they had to bring more cakes from the kitchen. I noticed that Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup cakes were very popular.

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I chose a cake for my work colleagues called Chocolate Extreme.

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Cake in the break room ready for lunch! (Sorry 10:00 -11:00 friends. I couldn’t get in there in time. Owe you one!)

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However, next time I’ll have to remember to bring little bowls for serving.

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If you want to know what the ticket looks like then here is a picture of it. Who will be my friend in January? I’ll be ready to go!

It wasn’t a bad way to spend 38 minutes out and about in Sevierville. 

 

Small Business Saturday

This Saturday is a good time to shop locally and with small businesses. They are the backbone of our economy. Although I have some appointments on Saturday, here are places I want to visit this week, and through the holidays. I’ll use screenshots here from their Facebook posts. Excellent pics and info.


I want this from Loralei’s!

Jewelry!

A trip to Treasures From the Heart to look for holiday finery.


Then a dinner at Bistro 109.



Have a great weekend! Get out and about in Sevierville.

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