Looking Back ...While Going Forward: Well that was Interesting!

"But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ."
Ephesians 4:7

Taking a drive and trying something new...puts a spring in your step.

A few months ago I was doing some research, as I am apt to do. I was researching interesting local areas that are relatively close, that I can drive to, explore, take some photo's and find an off the beaten path place to have a meal.

This is not a new concept for me, Curt and I loved to explore new places, meet interesting people, listen to their stories and then talk about what we discovered as we made our way on down the road.

I am not afraid to venture out, to travel on the less traveled highways and byways of our east Tennessee area, to me they lead to uncharted territory, just waiting for me to open the gateway and discover the treasure trove of new vista's just waiting to enhance my journey and encourage my thoughts.
Today's drive was one for the record books and it made for a morning away from the Home Place filled with all sorts of adventuresome antidotes,
that made me laugh with delight!

Clinch River Kingston

Clinch River, Kingston

My research a few months ago was to refresh my memory about a charming Tea Room in an antebellum home that I had gone to years ago in the Kingston area, making me wonder if it was still in business. My research did not offer up any discovery of a tea room in the Kingston area, but I did read about a small privately owned placed opened by reservations only called Camella Riverside Bistro. I read a few small media articles and some reviews about the Chef/Owner Andras Bartha and it grabbed my attention and made me want to know more. Most of the reviews said it was a set menu, week-end evenings only,and Sunday brunch but reservations only! I though well huh how do you get to experience it? There was a phone # listed so I called left a message but there was no reply. Finally I saw a Face Book page with a place to leave a message so I left a message. Chef did respond to that, by telling me, reservation only, price, and booked up a month in advance. Sad again! Then several days later he responded to my original phone call, explaining that he is a small operation and he is always cooking, but he tries to answer his texts, which he did do.

After our conversation, I began to follow his Bistro on Face Book, hoping to make plans to get a reservation sometime soon. I even told daughter Amy about it, because I thought it would be an interesting evening out. Unfortunately our world, to include our country went to hell in a handbasket, which by the way is an American phrase which came into general use during the American Civil War. So I made no plans. During this crisis when all restaurants have had to shut their doors except for take out, I found while reading on Face Book that Chef Andras was coming up with creative and innovative ideas to keep his small business afloat. He started offering lunch specials a few times a week with a set price, saying available until gone! He has done videos showing him doing what he enjoys preparing and cooking what his food offerings will be in his small kitchen. Totally delightful! His brisk but humorous personality displays his cultural upbringing, he grew up in Hungary, I am not sure how he ended up in Kingston, but that will be something to discover in the future!

Today, after seeing he was offering two luncheon specials I made the drive to Kingston. I chose the Oak Ridge way simply because I had not been on that K-25 road in years. To me it is always eerrie when you pass close to the plants in Oak Ridge, and you see the gatehouses and remember and still see the signs that use to be predominant during WWII. It definitely got my attention! I drove over to highway 70 and hung a right. I had plugged in the GPS just in case and if it would have had its way I would still be driving in circle's, thank you LORD for giving me the gift of a keen sense of direction, the last road it wanted me to turn on was 'Little Johnson Road,' ironic and funny to!

The Camella Riverside Bistro is small, quaint, and has an European flare about it. It sits on the left side of the Clinch River going West. I arrived 45 minutes before the 12:00 time for carryout, there were already people waiting in line! They were locals and they knew I was not! It was't long before Chef Andras opened the carry out window and pointed and said, "What you want?" to those waiting. He closed the window,it sort of reminded me of the Wizard in the Wizard of Oz, when Dorothy was waiting for an audience with the Wizard! The window then opened and he said I am over this, "I will open the door you come in, sit, wait, talk, only if you want? We did, there were already two business men in there waiting on their orders. I was glad to see this very small place. It was charming and the local ladies were friendly, talkative, curious about how I had found out about their 'Kingston Jewel.' They were nothing but complementary about Chef Andras and his culinary skills. Chef was in and out talking, laughing, and bantering with those of us that were there, he was happy to have customers waiting.

I had read about his Smoked Salmon, and one of the gentlemen had ordered up two! Oh my word they were a sight to see. I said "I would have loved to try that but it is too large for one." Chef turned around and said "ok you wait" He came out with my order first, which I was last in line. He brought me an order of Chicken Salad Croissant, an order of Pork barbecue, with potato salad, vegetable slaw, and a thin bread base of some sort. Then he said "this is Salmon for you, it is my cut I save for me, I give it to you to try...ok. He took my cash, looked at me and said "you leave now, they stay"...meaning the other three ladies. I laughed and I said well okay, I guess it is time for me to head back to Knoxville, the ladies all said be safe and come again. He turned and said only as a blunt European Man can say and do, " Nice Yoga pants, they look good! Do you do Yoga?" I was blushing like a house afire, the ladies were all agreeing and laughing, as I stumbled my way out the door, he said "be careful and stay safe." The rest of the drive home was unremarkable compared to that, but I had, had quite enough excitement for one outing...it was a very interesting drive and an unexpected turn of events! As Arnold Schwarzenegger once was quoted as saying "i'll be back!"