More Ready-to-Eat Entrees + Beauty

We are continuing to explore easy to prepare meal items.  In this edition, there were no losers among our selections, although we do have favorites.  Goal = meals with little, zero or minimal preparation... Snacks count too!

We bought this pack of 18 Stonefire Mini Naan Originals at Costco... As described by Stonefire Authentic Flatbreads, these mini naans are "delicious, fluffy, versatile and downright unforgettable, it's made to upgrade every meal, from breakfast wraps to midnight snacks".  Laurie and I concur and we've already used them with breakfast eggs, garlic dip, Bar-B-Que and more

Instant pulled pork!  The downside is that there isn't any 'bark' from smoking the meat.  The upside is that you have 2.5 lbs. of pulled pork to do with as you'd like.

Del Real's carnitas/pulled pork is not strongly seasoned so the good news is that you have multiple options with the 'right' addition of seasoning or sauces.

For this meal, Laurie paired some of Del Rio's pulled pork with one of Stonefire's mini-naans, adding a simple salad as her side.  She used BBQ sauce with her pork and she liked it a lot! 

We've enjoyed a couple other meals using Del Real's carnitas/pulled pork.  No surprise that I toasted a bun, covered it with shredded cheddar cheese, nuked it in the microwave and then slapped a couple of over medium fried eggs on top!  Great breakfast!  This product was purchased at Costco.

I don't know if its any healthier or worse than the salty snacks that we usually go for, but lately we have kept some sliced stick salami and pepperoni in the fridge...along with sliced sticks of cheese.  Cabot Creamery's 3 year naturally aged cheddar is one of our 'go to' cheese options. It has a distinctive flavor and it holds up well when sliced in 'sticks' or strips.  Yet another Costco purchase.

We have never found a garlic dip that was worthy of the name...until now!  Most anything labeled as containing garlic here in East Tennessee barely qualifies as 'garlicy' in our estimation.  A bit of Toom Garlic Dip and we knew that we had a cure for those pesky vampires.  I'll bet you can guess where we bought it!

Yes, this bag of Daphne's Beef and Lamb Gyro Slices was indeed purchased at Costco.  It contains 2 packages of meat.  I chose to heat up the meat in my frying pan with a little butter and pepper.  We both like a little char on our gyros.

It is hard to find gyros, (lamb and beef combined), anywhere here in East Tennessee.  We were very happy with the way that Daphne's gyros turned out.  Laurie plated her gyros on another one of those mini naans with mixed greens and cherry tomatoes.  The tzatziki sauce was very nice but lacked the garlic hit that we were used to back in Chicago.  We'll add garlic to the sauce/dip the next time.  The brand was Hannah's Tzatziki - Greek Style Yogurt Dip.

I thought that I'd end this post with a non-food photo.  That very pretty and delicate looking flower above is from a Spotted Wintergreen...a native wildflower that some bird...or more likely the wind, probably planted for us.  This small perennial evergreen herb is native to eastern North America and Central America.  Lucky for us, this plant is very tolerant of acidic soil and shade...both of which describe much of our backyard everyday.  The Creek Indians called it "pipsisikweu", which translates to "breaks into small pieces".  This was because it allegedly had the ability to breakdown gallstones.  Another use by Native Americans was to use it's leaf tea to treat rheumatism and stomach problems.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

A New Dining Experience - Even Better, It is Italian Cuisine!

Laurie and I are always looking for a new dining experience within a reasonable driving distance of our home.  'Reasonable' is of course a relative term, but in our case we define the word as about 30 - 35 minutes, with 40 minutes pushing the envelope.  Of course, if we're out exploring an area or shopping somewhere further from home and its time for a meal, our 'reasonable' definition doesn't apply.

We now have several good to very good 'American' and Mexican restaurants in the area, a nice Thai dining destination and, most recently, a reliable Indian restaurant was added to the mix.  What we've really needed is a good Italian restaurant.  As luck would have it, a new Italian dining destination recently opened in Lenoir City...about 20 minutes from home. 

Fork and Vine took over the space previously occupied by Joe's Italian Cuisine.  Joe's had shown promise but the consistency of both food and service was an issue.  Just how new is Fork and Vine?  There is a sign on US Hwy. 321 but the only Fork and Vine sign on the building at this point is that very temporary one above where Joe's sign was located.   

Outdoor patio dining is available at Fork and Vine.  It's surrounded by trees on 3 sides and its far enough from US Hwy 321, that traffic noise isn't too bothersome.

Fork and Vine is not a huge restaurant.  As you can see, the dining arear is long and narrow.  Seating is a mixture of 2-seat tables, 4-seat tables and bar stools in front of both the bar and the stone pizza oven.  We arrived early for dinner but before we left, Fork and Vine was very busy.  My only negative is that the 2-top tables are a bit too narrow to be really comfortable.  Another 3 or 4 inches in width would make a truly positive difference.  

Do you remember when any semi-upscale or fine dining restaurant automatically offered bread without charging for it?  Well, Fork and Vine does!  The bread was crusty and nice and the oil and herb mix was excellent.  It was so good that we were given a second helping of bread and dipping oil.

Before I get into the food itself, I thought that I'd provide the introduction provided by Fork and Vine as regards their menu and approach to Italian cuisine.  Will the restaurant live up to their introduction?

"Inspired by generations of Italian cooking, our menu features handcrafted dishes prepared with passion and authenticity.  From rustic, wood-fired pizzas to perfectly seasoned seafood and savory pastas, every plate is a celebration of flavor and tradition.

Experience the rich tradition of homemade Italian cuisine, where every dish is crafted from scratch using time-honored recipes and the finest ingredients.  From fresh, hand-rolled pasta to slow-simmered sauces, every bite is a taste of Italy's culinary heritage."

Given all the bread and oil, (another reason restaurants don't offer it gratis any longer), I skipped the appetizers but as this was our 'early' Mother's Day dinner (by two days), Laurie ordered a cup of the Italian Wedding Soup...with meatballs, spinach, pasta pearls and broth. ($5.00 cup/$9.00 bowl) She really enjoyed it!  I tasted it and I thought that it was very nice...

There are 9 'shareables'/appetizers on the menu.  They include: Burratta and Ciabatta with roasted tomato jam; Drunken Mussels with vodka, white wine, basil, garlic, tomatoes, onion, banana peppers herb butter and sliced Ciabatta, and; Clams Casino, baked clams topped with bacon crumble and lemon herb compound butter.  Six different salads are also on the menu with a couple of them being 'dinner salads'.  One of them is The Palermo with mixed greens, fresh mozzarella, banana peppers, black olives, croutons, tomatoes, ham, capicola, pepperoni and salami tossed in Italian vinaigrette.

On to our entrees.  This was Laurie's Vodka Di Gallo with Italian Sausage. ($16.00 without the sausage and $22.00 with it) It is fresh Creste di Gallo pasta with pink vodka cream sauce, onions, basil and mushrooms.  Chicken, meatballs and shrimp are also options with this pasta. Laurie really enjoyed her entree although she thought that the sausage would be cut up and in with the pasta.  Still...winner, winner!

Laurie had a tough time deciding what to order.  One of her other options (perhaps next time) was the 1809 Risotto...creamy parmesan risotto, mushrooms, seared scallops, limon wine cream and herb broccolini.  If Laurie's sister Bonnie and her husband Bill were here, Bill would definitely have ordered the Ciopinno Lenoir...with mussels, clams, shrimp and fish simmered in a robust tomato broth served with grilled Ciabatta.

My entree was the Pistachio Chicken. ($24.00) This included fried chicken cutlets (a whole breast), goat cheese, pistachio crumble, and lemon wine cream sauce, served with risotto and herb broccolini.  The chicken was moist, the breading just right and the lemon wine cream sauce put this dish over the top.  I'm not supposed to eat greens but I did consume 4 pieces of the tasty broccolini.  The one downer for me was that the risotto had mushrooms in it and I just don't like mushrooms.  They should be listed in the description. I'll have to see if any options are available on our next visit.  In any case I was very content.  I actually took half of one of those breasts home for breakfast the next day.  I also scored one of Laurie's sausages!

In total Fork and Vine offers 10 pasta dishes, 8 entrees and both 12" wood fired pizzas and assorted flatbreads.  Plus there are a number of Chef's Features.  The current specials included 2 more options for an appetizer and 3 "Main Courses", one of which was the Warm Langostino Lobster Rolls.  I was surprised that Laurie didn't chose this for her entree...

It was Laurie's Mother's Day treat and she wanted dessert.  She chose the Tiramisu...made with lady fingers, coffee and marscapone. ($10.00) She really liked it.  I tasted it and concurred with her, it was very good.

I was going to skip dessert.  Options included Peanut Butter Explosion, Red Velvet Cheesecake, a Tuxedo Bomb and a Fried Strawberry Cheesecake topped with white chocolate, kiwi lime and raspberry sauces.  The 'explosion' and the 'bomb' were loaded with too much chocolate for my taste and I'm not into cheesecake.  Many of you are probably saying "How can there be too much chocolate?!"  

In any case, as Laurie was waiting for her dessert, the chef stopped by and asked about the food.  When I told him that I was skipping dessert for the reasons stated above, he pointed out that the "Chef's Features" included a dessert.  Shown above, this was my Limoncello Marscapone Cake. ($12.00) It was excellent and my opinion was supported by Laurie too...

Service was competent and pleasant.  The chef stopping by was a plus.  The food was very good, some of the best we've had in the Knoxville area in recent years.  We will return...and we will bring others with us.

Fork and Vine is still waiting for a liquor license but you can bring your own adult beverage for the time being.  The restaurant is open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday (11 AM until 10 PM) and for brunch/dinner on Sunday (10 AM until 4 PM) This restaurant is located close to I-70, right off US Hwy 321 at 131 Kelsey Lane in Lenoir City Tennessee.  Phone: 865-317-1098.  They do not take reservations.  Website: https://fnvlenoir.com/, or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/p/Fork-Vine-Lenoir-City-61568667290284/.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Spring Photos Plus a Look around Culpeper Virginia

Who doesn't love spring...that is if you weren't hammered with the horrid storms that have sadly impacted much of the middle of the USA!  While much of central and western Tennessee suffered from flooding, high winds and tornados, here in East Tennessee all we received was needed spring rains...with some wind mixed in.  We live in the Tennessee River valley, that lies running northeast to the southwest, and we are usually but not always protected  from the worst weather by the Cumberland Plateau at the west and the Smokey Mountains at the east.

This bush always grabs our attention when it blooms!  The flowers look like delicate little bottle brushes.  It is one of the several 'bottle brush' bushes that are popular with landscapers.  This particular bush is called a Mount Airy Fothergilla. 

We love our little Japanese Maple Tree.  It cozies up in a niche in front of Laurie's 'plant room' between our laundry room and the garage.  Love those feathery red leaves when the tree first comes 'back to life' every spring!

My personal spring favorite are the Redbud Trees.  Rarely shaped in an orderly fashion, these pretty little violet colored blooms just adorn the limbs of the trees in early spring.  They are one of the very first trees to bloom every year.  Sadly, we had a white dogwood tree nearby that provided a terrific contrast with the dogwood blossoms...but no longer.

FYI... One of the biggest and best known events in the Greater Knoxville Tennessee area is the Dogwood Festival...with dogwood trails through neighborhoods and plenty of related events.  Learn more at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dogwood_Arts_Festival and https://www.dogwoodarts.com/dogwoodartsfestival.  

No...I'm not done posting photos and talking about things we did during our fall 2024 road trip.  Continuing with the last leg of that trip from Virginia...

One of the first posts from this road trip saga was about a terrific restaurant that Laurie and I dined at in Culpeper Virginia.  I posted our experience at it out of sequence with the trip because we liked it so much.  If you missed that post, just go to https://bigdaddydavesbitsandpieces.blogspot.com/2024/11/its-about-thyme-fine-dining.html.

Now back to Culpeper and a brief look around this bustling small town.  Believe it or not, the original section of the large building shown above was built in 1820 by Revolutionary War General Edward Stevens.  The family of future Confederate States of America General A.P. Hill bought the home in 1832, enlarging it to its current size just prior to the American Civil War.  Timing is everything and the Hill family sold the property in 1962.  The building is referred to today as the A.P. Hill building.  Occupants include a wellness spa and a fashion boutique as well as at least one apartment.

Yes, Laurie did do a bit of shopping in Culpeper... I was more interested in this cat in a basket, even if she wasn't interested in me.  We both love cats, but between Laurie's allergies and the probability that over half of our family, (who have allergies or don't like cats), would never come to visit, deters us from any new feline member for our household.

The two photos above are general views of downtown Culpeper.  It is an attractive and active small town at one corner of 'horse country' in Virginia.  The building at the right side of the photo immediately above, is the Fairfax Masonic Building.  It was completed in 1902 and it currently is home to a real estate company and a gift boutique.

I borrowed this photo from the Internet.  The first Culpeper County Courthouse was built in 1750.  A replacement was built on the same site in 1808.  The second courthouse was torn down in 1871 and it was replace by this Classic Revival structure in 1873.  

There is a reason for all the good restaurants and shopping opportunities.  About 70% of the fast growing population of the county commute out of the county for work.  The town is 55 minutes from Manassas Virginia and just a little over an hour to Dulles International Airport.  How fast is this county growing?  In 1980, the county recorded 22,620 residents.  By 2000 there were over 34,000 and the 2020 census recorded 52,552 residents.

Factoids:  

• By the middle of the 1970s, Culpeper County was the last county in the Commonwealth of Virginia to desegregate its schools.

• Commonwealth Park in the county is the site for many world-class equestrian events.  This is where actor Christopher Reeve suffered the equestrian accident that paralyzed him in 1995.

This is a photo of the cookie display case at Knakal's Bakery at 146 East Davis Street.  This bakery has been a fixture in Culpeper since the 1930s and they offer a wide selection of donuts, cookies, pastries and cakes.  We did buy a couple of very nice cookies to take with us as a treat for later in the day.  This is my kind of shopping experience!

This is the oldest commercial building in Culpeper.  George Washington surveyed and plotted the town back in 1749.  The first indication of any structure being built on this plot of land was a deed of sale in 1790 to Thomas Reade Rootes...a lawyer and a member of Virginia's House of Delegates.  In the 1890s it was known as the Martin Furniture Company but it was originally built (ca ?) to house the post office, the Farmer's and Merchants Bank as well as Clark and Company Grocers.  

This structure has been used by a number of other businesses including a tobacco warehouse, stables, a tin shop, a Civil War jail for soldiers from both sides of the conflict and for much of the 1900s, as the Yarnell Hardware Store.  The structure survived the Civil War, two major fires and an earthquake.  Today it is the home of The Grass Rootes Restaurant, an upscale dining venue.  To learn about this restaurant, go to https://www.grassrootescu.com.

This is the oldest church in Culpeper.  St. Stephen's Episcopal Church was built in 1821 on land donated to the parish by Brigadier General Edward Stevens, a hero who led his militia in several key battles during the Revolutionary War.  Originally, this church was a relatively plain rectangular structure.  The slender steeple and the entrance vestibule were added in 1861.  Other renovations and additions took place ca. 1870 and it 1884.  This was one of the few churches in the area that remained unscathed during the Civil War.

Part of Culpeper's Central Historic District, the old Southern Railway Depot at 109 South Commerce Street was built in 1904.  It replaced another that had been built in 1874, which itself had replaced 2 depots that had been originally built by the Orange and Alexander Railroad.  Threatened with demolition in 1985, the community rallied to save it and then to renovate it.  Part of the structure at 111 South Commerce Street now serves as the Culpeper Visitor's Center.  Located at 113 Commerce Street, the Museum of Culpeper History occupies a larger portion of the structure.  To learn more about the museum, go to https://culpepermuseum.com/.

The best part about this old depot is that it is still served by passenger trains.  Options include: Amtrak's 3 time a week round trip service (the Cardinal line) from New York City to Chicago; the daily round trip service (the Crescent City line) from New York to New Orleans and; the twice daily Amtrak Northeast Service from Washington D.C. to Roanoke Virginia.  The Commonwealth of Virginia provides financial support for the Northeast Service.  In 2023, the Culpeper station served 17,386 passengers.

That's all for now.  Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by for a visit! 

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

A "New" Local Restaurant and More...

...taking a break from my posts about last fall's road trip, this time its about a local restaurant we hadn't dined at previously as well as a couple of miscellaneous item. 

Although the Victory Bar and Grill opened last fall and it is only about 10 minutes from our home, if it wasn't for long time fellow blogger Larry at https://bigdudesramblings.blogspot.com/, we might not have noticed it for several more months.  Our powers of observation have apparently deteriorated.

The interior of the Victory Bar and Grill is in the warm and welcoming industrial sports bar 'look', perfect for a local hangout.  It was a bit early for dinner but the bar was busy.

The appetizer portion of the menu list 11 items diners or sports fans can order with their meals or just to nosh on during a sporting event.  I would have ordered the Buffalo Chicken Dip but it isn't something that Laurie is crazy about.  I also liked the idea of the Brisket Queso... I was fairly sure that she'd want the Fried Cheese Curds, but instead she went for her perennial favorite, the Fried Pickle Chips. ($9.00) They were quite nice, a cut above average. 

For Laurie's entree, she decided to go with a dinner salad.  There are 3 different dinner salads on the menu at Victory Bar and Grill.  She chose the Fried Chicken Tender Salad...Buffalo style. ($13.00) She really enjoyed her dinner...and thanks to all those pickle chips, she took part of the salad home.  She had it for dinner the following night. 

There are plenty of options to chose from at Victory Bar and Grill.  Buffalo Chicken Cheddar Mac 'n Cheese, 3 different steak options, wings with 12 sauces or rubs, flatbread pizza and then of course, there are the Signature Handhelds.  I chose the Fried Chicken Sandwich for my entree.  Basically, it consisted of fried chicken tenders on a nice brioche bun with cheddar cheese, a choice of sauce and the usual lettuce, pickles and tomato slice. ($12.00)  Instead of the usual French fries, I opted for the (healthier?) garlic baby potatoes.

My only issue with this entree was that the 'chicken tenders' were flat (pounded)or just too thin.  When I have a sandwich, I look forward to the protein or heart of the sandwich to kick it up a notch.  On the other hand, the garlic baby potatoes were a great side option and there were plenty of them.  I took some home to have for breakfast with a couple of eggs.

We will return soon.  I'm looking for a good place for wings...and I'll side them with more of those garlic baby potatoes.  Victory Bar and Grill is located at 1265 US Hwy 411 in Vonore Tennessee.  They are open daily for lunch and dinner.  Phone: 423-884-2319.  Website: https://victorybargrillvonore.com/.   

Moving on to spring and a bit of food at our house...

Despite up and down temperatures and the fact that this photo was taken a couple of weeks before spring actually arrive, our flowering quince and its companion forsythia have once again reassured us that warmer weather is coming.  As you can see, the forsythia is actually past it's prime blooming phase.

Even more importantly our favorite spring blooms are now in full force.  While many folks love the dogwood blooms above all else, although we too enjoy them, our favorites are the delicate blooms that the redbud trees produce.  They usually bloom before the dogwoods but we did have one spring a few years back when both bloomed at about the same time.  It was a wonderful sight indeed.

Laurie captured this photo of an eager homebuilder at work.  This male eastern towhee had patiently worked on a small bush to free up this vital ingredient for nest building and he was about to fly off to the site of he and his mate's new home.

Although to my eye, they resemble a robin, the eastern towhee is actually classified as a large New World sparrow.  They prefer breeding in brushy areas, nesting in low bushes or on the ground under shrubs.

Of course, I just 'have to' close this blog post with food photos!  We discovered that we could purchase pre-seasoned salmon on a cedar plank at our smallish local Food Lion grocery store.  There was enough salmon (very nice indeed) that I could reheat the leftovers (in butter of course), place it on a slice of buttered rye toast and then top it with a couple of easy over eggs.  It was a great breakfast!

There is a small local donut chain in our area and one location is in Lenoir City Tennessee.  It's owned/operated by a very nice couple from the Philippines who immigrated to the US many years ago.  This is their latest creation/addition to their great repertoire of sweets that customers have to chose from.  This beauty is a glazed croissant donut and it is now Laurie's favorite and my second most favorite...after their apple fritter.  This donut crossover is lighter than a typical glazed cake donut and it is just excellent!

Reviews on Google give Master Donuts in Lenoir City 4.8 stars out of 5 with 413 reviews.  TripAdvisor lists 80 reviews, with 76 reviews scoring very good or excellent.  Master Donuts is located at 507 East Broadway.  Phone: 865-816-6058.  

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Local - Mostly a Variety of Dining Choices

...Time for another short break from our road trip last October that took us through 7 different states.  The focus this time is on food...from 3 different restaurants, but also Laurie's new "phone friend" and a new neighbor.

Laurie and I are always looking for quality pizza, something that we have struggled to find here in East Tennessee. (Suggestions are welcome!) For us the best pizza in the area can be found at the Tellico Grains Bakery in Tellico Plains Tennessee. (Lunch Only - website: https://tellico-grains-bakery.com/)

But we've continued to search.  FYI, our definition of quality pizza includes the generous use of toppings, a distinctive red sauce and a firm but thin crust.  Of course, everyone has their favorite types of pizza... It's a personal preference.

So we recently had a pizza at a 'new to us' restaurant, Corner Pizza.  Apparently, it has been in business for a while.  Corner Pizza is located at the intersection of US Hwy 11 and US Hwy 70 at the northern edge of Loudon County.  We ordered out 'touchstone' pizza, the one we use to compare with others.  Italian Sausage and Pepperoni.  Corner Pizza's version was very nice indeed.  Our mistake was that we went with their standard crust, a bit too thick for our taste, but we failed to note that a thin crust pizza was available.  We shall return in the near future for another taste test!  Website: https://www.cornerpizzalenoircity.com/. 

Recently we returned to another restaurant that we've 'discovered', Sol Azteca, a Mexican Restaurant in Madisonville Tennessee that we really like.  We went with another couple and we tried a couple of entrees that we hadn't tried before.  Shown above is their Polo Coyoacan, grilled chicken breast topped with chorizo and shredded cheese.  It was accompanied by Mexican rice, refried beans with more cheese...and tortillas.  Both members our group that ordered this entree were very happy with their meals!

For my entree, I decided to go for the Burrito San Jose.  This large burrito was filled with pieces of pork and steak, then topped with chorizo and cheese.  As you can see, Mexican rice and refried beans were also included.  There was plenty of meat involved but I didn't think that that steak/beef and pork mixture was ideal.  Next time I order a burrito it will be all about the steak or perhaps, chicken.  FYI, I mixed the chorizo in with the beans and cheese...and it was a very tasty side dish!

Sol Azteca is now our 'go to' Mexican restaurant in the area...and we 10 or more choices within 15 miles of our home.  Sol Azteca is on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/solaztecamadisonville/. 

Now for a bit of cuisine from India.  I'd previously written about our positive experience at The Spice Hut in Lenoir City.  On this occasion we were accompanied by a couple that hadn't eaten there before, with the male half of the couple planning a photographic excursion to India.  He wanted to sample some Indian food so he would have some idea of what he might be eating on his trip.

One of our starters or appetizers was this order of Chili Cheese Naan.  Fresh bread/naan with fresh chili and cheese topped with butter and roasted in the clay oven. ($5.99) Everyone seemed to really like this version of naan, but I didn't think that it was very distinctive, more like a cheese pizza and I couldn't really detect any chili flavor.

Our second appetizer was an order of Punjabi Aloo Samosas.  Filled with a potato and peas stuffing, these flaky crust creations were served with a tangy tamarind and date sauce. ($4.99) Everyone really enjoyed these treats...with that sauce kicking them up a couple of notches.

I can't recall what this dish was called on the menu.  It is Tandoori Chicken with an assortment of vegetables.  While the diner who ordered this for dinner did enjoy it, she felt that the amount of chicken served was pretty skimpy.  

Looking at the online menu, Tandoori chicken is nowhere to be found.  The menu is one of the shortcomings of this restaurant.  The online menu doesn't provide descriptions of the majority of offerings listed.  The menu provided at the restaurant provides zero descriptions of the dishes, but if you want to take the time and you have a smart phone, you can pull up some information on your phone.  This is definitely not customer friendly...and the servers are not very helpful in this regard.  When ordering, you are sort of on your own.  In the future, I'll just research 2 or 3 Indian dishes on line to determine what I want to order.

Our future traveler to India decided to order the Crispy Honey Chicken. ($16.99) This entree wasn't described on the menu.  However, as per an Indian's input on line, this is basically an Chinese style recipe with a sweet flavor and some mild spices...but the Indian version is spicier and has a bit of moderate heat.  Note the pickled vegetables.  This wouldn't be my choice but Bob has a much broader palate than I do and he did enjoy his meal.

Both Laurie and I went for entrees that we knew and really enjoy.  Her choice was the Butter Chicken, or murgh makhani. ($16.99) This Indian dish originated in Delhi India and it is a style of curry that is made with chicken and a spiced tomato and butter sauce.  As during our previous visits to The Spice Hut, Laurie was very happy with her dinner!

As is my habit in Indian restaurants, I ordered the Lamb Vindaloo. ($19.99) Basically it consists of chunks of lamb and potatoes with a spicy sauce.  It was excellent.  Note: All of these entrees come with a large bowl of what I think is basmati rice, in my case great for soaking up all that sauce with chunks of potato or lamb.   

Diners at The Spice Hut are offered a level of spicy 'heat' with every entree.  The range goes from 1 to 10.  Laurie was happy with a 4 and I chose a 7, perfect for my taste.

Do not be deterred by my comments on the menu.  The Spice Hut does serve good food...but a little research is needed by diners unless they are familiar with Indian cuisine.  Also don't panic when you drive up to the restaurant...which shares a large space with a fireworks store, convenience store and gas station.  The restaurant is nicely separated from the rest of the businesses.  

The Spice Hut is located at 1204 US Hwy 321 in Lenoir City Tennessee.  It's just west of Exit 81 off of I-75.  They are open daily for lunch and dinner.  Website: https://spicehutind.com/.

Moving on from all that food.  This photo shows Laurie with her new friend Zane at the Verizon store in the Turkey Creek Shopping Center.  Zane helped her with a major challenge...moving from her Samsung Smart Phone to an iPhone from Apple.  While she's still learning...and leaning on others to help her with the transition, Zane provided a lot of basic assistance.  For the first couple of days after the change, I just hid out for my own mental well-being.  Great progress has been achieved.

Introducing our new neighbor... This is Terry and she just moved into the new home that is located directly behind us in Loudon County.  She is a 'crafter' and a retired member of the US Military.  A common bond with us is that she's also a collector...of a variety of items she loves.  Much to my liking, she counts philately as one of her hobbies.  Welcome to the neighborhood Terry and thank you for your service to the USA! 

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them...

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave