Paul's Family Diner,  August 16th.

   Well, where to start, we met early at the restaurant to enjoy our meal (hopefully) and have some time to talk. We were going to see the Drama after eating our meal. Trying to figure out what you want to eat is what takes the most time. As always the drink order was taken first, giving us more time to choose something. Everybody tea, sweet and unsweet. I don't know who their tea maker was, but that was some very good tea. I believe Pam ordered the buffalo burger, Lisa had  the hot dog, Susan had the Philly steak and I had the rib eye steak sandwich.
  Pam's burger looked good, according to her it tasted just like another burger. We tried to explain the difference of buffalo and beef to Pam, buffalo tends to be leaner than beef. It has to be cooked differently than beef too, sometimes it can be very dry if the cook tries to cook it like beef. Pam also ordered the fried pickles, now this was a very surprising appetizer. It was lightly breaded and sort of looked like fried squash to me. But when you bite one of these things the taste is different. Not in a bad way, the sour pickle flavor mixed with the breading offset each other quite well. This was the first time to try these and might order them again if given the opportunity.
   Lisa had the hot dog, and that was a meal and a half. The chili looked like it came out of a can.  But, I guess that you cut corners when you need to. Sometimes though it really isn't worth it. It can ruin the flavor of what you're eating. There is nothing better on a hot dog than homemade chili. Lisa wasn't feeling well that night and only are half of her dog. She said that her babies were going to have a real treat when she got home. Good for them!
   Susan ordered the Philly Steak sandwich, the roll that it came on wasn't the big. But it was packed with the meat, now all of these meals came with french fries. The thing that caught my eyes was that the fries all looked under cooked. It looked like they were put in oil for a few seconds and taken out. Susan sent her back to be cooked properly, brown and very crisp. I think this is the only way fries should be cooked. Limp soggy fries don't looked very appealing.
   I ordered the rib eye steak sandwich, cooked to  medium wellness. The steak was very tender and very tasty. The thing that I really can't stand is all of the extras that goes on a sandwich. I prefer to have a small amount of onions, lots of pickles and some mustard. If they serve horseradish, then I will order some of that too! But Paul's didn't have it so I had to make due. I also got a baked potato with my sandwich, I thought that it could have been cooked a little bit longer. It took some work to get it broke down to eat, and it was still kind of hard in the middle. But still edible. In my opinion, if you want a good sandwich head down to Paul's Diner. Try some of their appetizers too. you just might find something to write home about. We are headed to the Rivers End in the Nantahala Gorge. Come out and enjoy a meal and some good conversations too.

August 16, 2012 - Paul's Diner, Cherokee, NC

We had to have a change of plans this week. We were originally supposed to go to Rivers End in the Nantahala Gorge, but because we were rained out of the Outdoor Drama on Tuesday, we just decided to kill two birds with one stone and go to the drama and to eat on Thursday. Paul's was on our Swain Co. list anyway, so we voted to go there and then on to the drama since it was closer than Rivers End. We felt we would be hard pressed to get from the Gorge to Cherokee in time.
Next week we will be back on schedule and at Rivers End. I hope we get through Swain Co. before tourist season ends, cause some of these restaurants close up for the season. And we just heard that Nantahala Village has closed early due to foreclosure. There must be a black cloud or old Indian curse on that place. The original one burnt to the ground several years ago and now this. It has changed hands numerous times and has just never been the fabulous place it was before the incineration. The old place was quite beautiful too. Like something you would see in a scary movie.. the old haunted inn that held too many secrets, and came alive at night ( and not in a good way). Sorta like the one in The Shining. A lot like The Fryemont Inn in Bryson City.

Anyway... back to the night. We met early because Paul's has the reputation of being a little slow. We wanted to have plenty of time for a relaxing meal and to visit and cut up as usual without being rushed. We all met in one of the renovated sections of  Cherokee that the tribe owns and zipped right over to Paul's in my car. When we got there, the parking lot was all goobered up. Not sure what was going on with that. They had half roped off and the section across the road was full. Lucky for us, a car was pulling out so we zipped in the vacated space. The parking gods were with us that night.

The current Paul's is a new building. Their old building burnt down. (Hmmm.. is there a trend here?) The current one while nice, is obviously a modular home that has been modified. But it is a nicer looking building than the ones surrounding it. Paul's is located in a strip of Cherokee that really needs some renovation. There are many empty, dilapidated buildings, weedy overgrown parking lots, and huge dinosaurs, bears and other over sized creatures left over from the 60's. These critters have definitely seen better days.... the bears are balding, the dinosaur has broken pieces, and many are covered with kudzu. Shop signs are falling down and left abandoned. The entire section has the look of a town that is trying to hold on to a sliver of vitality with its fingernails while slowly being drug into a sinkhole of despair by its ankles.  Every so often you will see a nice business like Paul's or Dairy Queen, but it is hard to tell if the town is being remodeled or if these are the last vestiges of a thriving town and they are just hanging on with tooth and nail.  Regardless, the tribe or Chamber of Commerce really needs to address it.

Paul's is locally owned by the Ensley family. They are all members of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Paul Ensley and his wife work there most days. Paul also used to have a booth at the annual Cherokee fair and specialized in frybread and roasted corn. I have not seen them there in the last couple of years, so it may have gotten too much for them. Their children also used to work in the restaurant and booth, but haven't seen them around in awhile. I have not been to Paul's in about four years, and the first thing I noticed was the change in wait staff. All the ones that had been there for awhile were gone.

 We had the choice of sitting on the porch or inside. I am really glad we chose inside, cause partway through our meal, we started getting wafts of cigarette smoke through the door. Someone  was smoking on the porch. There is nothing I hate worse than trying to eat while someone is smoking.  I hate that worse than TV in a restaurant or limp french fries.

The place was fairly full, but not overcrowded. Our waitress was quick to get our drinks and our orders and she was not in the least flustered about our special requests.Like I mentioned,  I have not been to Paul's in about 4 years and immediately noticed a difference in the menu. It seems they have cut down drastically in terms of selection and there have been some additions in the wild game department. They now offer Rabbit (which I can't stand - too stringy), Buffalo, Frog Legs and Pheasant (never had that). They had Buffalo burgers, which are getting quite popular in these parts, and a Buffalo Ribeye dinner (which was quite pricey - about 24.99 pricey). The selection of sandwiches had been narrowed down considerably and the Appetizer selection had been increased to include Fried Pickles, among others.

FRIED PICKLE APPETIZER

We all ordered tea; sweet and unsweet. The tea was brewed and was very, very good. Some of the best tea I have had. There is an art to making southern tea and most restaurants are just a bit (some by a football field) off the mark. And in spite of what McDonald's advertises, that is NOT southern tea. Neither is Bojangles.

PHILLY STEAK SANDWICH WITH FRIES

It seemed that we all had a hard time deciding what to order. I finally settled on the Philly Steak and Cheese with no peppers. It came with Fries - and you all KNOW my quirk about Fries. Luckily they were crinkle cut, which tend to be crispier than others. But, I did ask our waitress to request them cooked like potato chips.. kind hard.. just to be on the safe side.

Greg ordered the Ribeye Steak sandwich and a baked potato.

RIBEYE STEAK SANDWICH WITH BAKED POTATO

 Lisa ordered a hot dog and fries. I think she thought we were at Nabers. Or maybe she was just  having fond memories of Nabers.

LISA HOTDOG WITH FRIES

Pam was the adventurous one tonite. She ordered the Buffalo Burger with  Fries and a Fried Pickle appetizer. I have never eaten Fried Pickles and I have to say, they were quite good. A bit tangy and they were served with Ranch and Chipotle sauce.

BUFFALO BURGER WITH FRIES

Our food was not too long in coming. I did have to send my Fries back for recooking as they were limpish and not at all like potato chips.  They were quite pale. (See picture). But, when you have food issues like me, that is just par for the course, and not a big deal. However, when they came back, they were nice and crunchy and very brown. Thank you to the cook.

My sandwich had generous portions of the Philly steak, mushrooms and onions on it. It  was a bit greasy, but not grossly so. Everyone appeared to enjoy their food, except Lisa, who only ate half her hot dog. She has not been feeling well lately, which has caused her to not have much of an appetite. But her hot dog was huge anyway, so half was a pretty good meal. Her little dogs will get a treat tonite from the leftovers. The chili on her dog did not look homemade, but who knows. She also had Fries which were not cooked to death like mine. Lisa likes her fries pale and limp.
Pam seemed to enjoy her burger and stated it tasted just like a regular burger to her. Buffalo can be quite dry in restaurants, if they don't know how to cook it. It doesn't have any fat in it, so it is leaner and doesn't have that great fatty taste you associate with beef burgers. Often it is too dry as it is cooked wrong. I really like Buffalo meat and my daddy and I would always to to Asheville when we were having a family reunion or gathering and get a roast for the occasion. It is a pricey meat, but well worth the extra spent. Plus, its much healthier for you than beef.

Pam was wondering what a Indian Taco was, so we explained it to her.She has eaten Fry Bread at my house and understood the concept. There happened to be a woman who ordered an Indian Taco beside us and we asked if we could take a picture of hers. She was very accommodating.

INDIAN TACO

I personally don't like Indian Tacos cause they are too big and the  Fry Bread ends up really soggy. Did I mention I have issues with soggy food too? That is why I won't eat cereal, pancakes, waffles, French Toast, Biscuits and Gravy or Indian Tacos. I will eat the stuff as long as its separated, however. An Indian Taco is nothing more then a piece of Fry Bread with chili, onions, lettuce,tomatoes, and cheese on top. It will fill a plate and is quite heavy... not to carry, but in your stomach.

We had plenty of time to kill before we needed to be at the show, so we just sat around a jawed for a bit. Oh yea! and watched Pam, Lisa and Greg eat a piece of Coconut Cake. Right, slap dab beside our table was this lighted revolving dessert display and it was full of yummy looking, gooey, layered, slathered and iced temptations for our choosing. And I have to say.. it was quite tempting. There was one layered cheese cake, blueberry, creamy looking thing that kept calling my name every time it went around.  I would  even swear that one of the blueberries winked at me! I had to just force myself to not look at it.They all said the cake was pretty good. From the looks of the empty plate, I would say so.

COCONUT CAKE HALF EATEN

 We talked about the election and how stupid Mitt Romney seems to be. Lisa was sharing with us the story of him stowing his dog on top of his car in a dog crate and traveling that way. Who does that? Luggage falls of the top of cars all the time. So would a dog in a crate, since its not aerodynamic. What a ninnie! Lisa and Pam said they would pay good money to see me in the car behind Mitt with that dog strapped on top. What?
We also talked about the Cherokee clan system and Greg threw in his two cents about his tribes' band system. I found out something tonite about my husband. He belongs to the Skidi band, which in his language means Wolf. I belong to the Cherokee Wolf Clan. So, I wonder if that means we are intertribally incestuous?

Today was the anniversary of Elvis' death and Pam had on her commemorative earrings. We talked about going to Graceland next year for this anniversary, but Pam and Lisa were not up for the challenge of the crowds. So, we agreed to go to Graceland at some point,when its cooler. We all love Elvis and Greg's mother was also very fond of Elvis; playing his records over and over and watching his movies. I still watch Elvis movies and will record them if I have to leave the house. I love Elvis movies and have some CD's in my car. Love Me Tender   ............

We gave Pam some background information on the outdoor drama, but really couldn't comment on this years performance since this was the latest rendition and none of us had seen it. The play stayed the same for many, many decades and recently underwent some artistic renovations. Some of the feedback was not positive, and so for the past 5 or 6 years there has been a different take on the story. Some were more artistic than others and some stuck more to the old story, complete with inaccurate historical facts. So, we were all in for a surprise tonite.

I tried to get some good pics of the inside of Paul's, but it was always fairly full while we were there. I tend to get a bit nervous when taking pictures inside the restaurants. I think one day some patron is going to accost me and demand I turn over my camera for invasion of privacy or because he's some celebrity in disguise and doesn't want his picture sent to the Enquirer. And really.. who wants their picture taken when they are fixing to take a bite of food anyway? But I did manage to get a couple of shots off on the way out the door.Oh yea.. just one more note... Paul's does have clean bathrooms.

THE BAR AREA WITH A TV

Join us next Thursday, August 24th at 6:30 pm at Rivers End in the beautiful Nantahala Gorge. 

On a side note.. the drama stunk. The entire first half (there is an intermission) was so Disneyfied (Pam's word - and an accurate one) that the seriousness of the history was completely drowned by the silly, amateurish dancing and loud, comic voices of the actors. The second half was a complete opposite. It was QUITE serious, and you finally got the story, but it was marred by yet another silly, ballet type leaping dance that was supposed to convey jubilation at the Cherokee's survival and success in spite of the hardships and forced removal. The artistic quality is missing its mark by a long shot and the history was yet again, misrepresented or misinterpreted. There didn't seem to be many locals in it as in past years either. I was quite disappointed by it. We all agreed to come again next year, if its changed.  If not, we're staying far away. 

Also, the seats have been changed and they are quite high. So no matter how tall you are, your feet will dangle. An odd predicament to be in. I felt like Edith Ann.

We have had to change our plans for tonite. We were scheduled to go to Rivers End in Nantahala Gorge. But due to getting rained out of the drama on Tuesday, we decided to go to the drama tonite. Supposed to have good weather.
So, we will not have time to go all the way to the Gorge and then back to Cherokee. Instead we voted to to to Pauls Diner in Cherokee (it is in Swain County and on our list) and then on to the drama.

Rivers End has been postponed for next Thursday since Greg had drawn it on his turn. So, come join us tonite at Pauls or next Thursday August 23 at Rivers End in the Nantahala Gorge. Hope to see you there!

August 9,2012  Nabers Drive In


    Just the name Nabers sort of gives you an idea of what kind of place this is. The people are friendly, kind of like your neighbor. I was first introduced to this place in 1998 on my first trip out here, it wasn't the kind of memory that I would like to hold on to. Let me just say food and twisty roads don't mix, especially if you come from a place where the roads don't go anywhere but straight.
   Now over the years I have gotten to know some of the workers here. The main two was Dixie, who would always stop and tell us a joke or a short story. When she would leave us, we would always be laughing our heads off. That Dixie was full of jokes, I don't think she told the same joke twice. She had this way of keeping a straight face until she got to the punchline, then she would flash the biggest smile I have ever seen. Then there was Bayless, an older gentleman who was very pleasant. He would often stop and talk with Susan for a few brief moments. From what Susan told me through the years both of these fine people had been at Nabers for decades. The people working now are cordial but not as warm or down home like Dixie or Bayless.
   The food here is very good, where else but in the south could you get slaw on a hot dog or hamburger. I didn't know what to think when I first heard this ordered by Susan. Like I said earlier, I tried one of these burgers at the suggestion of Susan. It was weird at first, but the more I ate them, they started to grow on me. My favorite thing here is their chili slaw bun with mustard. They also serve bbq sandwiches,fried chicken, roasted corn, pies, ice cream, sundaes and a lot of other good food. If you ever find yourself in Bryson City, stop by for a sandwich, burger, hot dog, bbq, or some chicken. I believe that it will make your day just a little bit brighter.    

Going to Nabers is always a treat. It is the stuff of real Americana.  Bench tables with ketchup, salt and pepper, and a couple of pin ball machines.  Great burgers, bbq, hot dogs, sandwiches, fries, onion rings, and hot fudge sundaes. The menus is large enough to please almost anyone. It is one of the few places in NC you can order bbq BEEF, chopped or sliced.  It is a nostalgic dining experience. You can drive up and place an order from your car window, talk about whatever you want to in the privacy of your space and have your meal brought to you. It was always a pleasure and sense of continuity to see Dixie bring you your order and provide a sweet smile and quick conversation. As Susan wrote, Dixie is no longer there, a reminder that everything changes, and sometimes with no rhyme or good reason. What is comforting is that you can still get what folks now refer to as a Carolina Classic (burger, chili, slaw, onions, and mustard), or a chili-slaw bun,  and it will be the same good ol' drive in food.  The hot fudge sundae is still a good deal and is enough for at least two people.
You always see someone you know from Cherokee, Sylva, Whittier, or of course, Bryson City.  Generations have been going to Nabers and Susan has great photos from when her mom and dad worked and frequented there.  Don't look for fancy dining digs or romantic ambience.  Instead, this is one of those great local diners that make traveling off the interstate worthwhile.  It is where generations of locals have gone and continue to go to eat, visit, and see old friends.

August 9, 2012 - Nabers Drive In, Bryson City, NC

Hail, Hail the gangs all here! We are back together tonite for our weekly dining experience. And tonite.. one of my favorites. Nabers Drive  In. This place evokes good memories from my high school days of cruising Bryson, jumping back and forth into friends cars to go check out the parking scene, ride around or just sit and talk. Nabers was the quintessential meeting place for all teenagers in Bryson. It was an  unspoken routine that every Friday night you would be at Nabers. There you would find out who was dating who, who was broken up, who was drinking and who had something to drink, and who was too drunk for good sense. You also found out who had a new car they were showing off. If you wanted to be in the know.. you had to be at Nabers. The rule of meeting at Nabers was especially true during football season. There, we could meet and greet our players and relive highlights of the game. Of course, the opposing teams would also show up as this was before fast food joints. We knew we had to get there first because if you didn't the wait would be forever with a whole football team showing up in a bus. Not to mention the available parking space was just diminished tremendously. 

The food was just an added bonus.  The best onion rings, chili slaw buns, and hamburgers around. Fabulous "real" milkshakes, and their signature dessert.. hot fudge cake. And delivered right to your car.. can't get any better than that. 

Nabers was originally built at the east end of Bryson on the way out of town. It was located at the end of the Governors Island Bridge where it stayed until it burnt down. My mother used to work at Nabers when she was in high school. I have a photo of the old Nabers in its original location. I also have a photo of my mom and dad  standing in the parking lot of the original Nabers. 

Beside Nabers, was a gas station my dad worked at and a little locally owned motel. The area has been vacant for awhile and the state built a little pull off area with picnic tables there recently. You have a view of the river and could watch rafters and tubers go past in the summer. The river was much fuller back then than now. At the bottom of the bank where Nabers was built, are old cars from the 40's and 50's. The county or state put them in the bank to curtail erosion. You can still see them sticking out of the bank. Little did they know those cars would be worth a mint now. 

Original Nabers. Governors Island 

Larry Dixon & Alyne Walker in front of Nabers

After Nabers burnt down, it was rebuilt in its present location. Still on the east side of Bryson, but closer to town. It has been in its present location for over 30  years. It has changed hands a few times in those years, but the food has stayed the same. And as far as the employees, there were always some mainstays at Nabors. You could count on seeing them working when you pulled up. It was a comforting sight and made you think.. that things had not changed and you were going to be young forever. One of those folks who worked at Nabers for decades was Bayless. He passed away several years ago, but it was like seeing an old friend you grew up with when you would pull into Nabers and see Bayless delivering food to cars. The other icon at Nabers was Dixie Kirkland. She worked alongside Bayless for decades. She always had a smile on her face and a greeting, like she had been waiting all day just for you to show up. And if you were lucky and she would slow down for two seconds, she would offer you a joke with your change. She and I often traded jokes. She had some doozies too. 

On a sadder note, Dixie is no longer there. A victim of the misbelief  that older folks are not valuable in the workplace. The new owners told her unexpectedly that it was time for her to go home and take it easy. TAKE IT EASY!! That is like telling the grass not to grow, or the rain to fall up instead of down. Dixie could no more take it easy than the sun could rise in the west. She was a dynamo and had the energy of  five... or make it 10 - 20 year olds. On a good note, the day she was fired, several local businesses called her and offered her a job. So, she is still working, which is what she wants to do. I do miss seeing her at Nabers though. Instead of Dixie and Bayless, there are several young Mexican girls.While they are pleasant, they often get your orders wrong due to the language barrier. And no jokes either... sigh. I dont even know their names. 

As far as I know, Nabers has always had a drive in and dine in section. It still offers curb service as it always has. The girls do not wear skates. You pull into a slot, push the button on the speaker box and place your order. In a bit, here comes someone with your food on a tray that hooks onto your window. 

When Jim Sneed owned Nabers, he had very large pens built beside the river. In them, he kept peacocks. Now, these were pretty exotic for back then. I used to love to to watch the peacocks strutting  back and forth. And to hear  them call! It would be almost as good as being in the jungle. Wild, primitive sounds that echoed up the river. I don't know what happened to those birds.. I suspect they died off. It was a great tourist attraction. 

Curb Service at the drive in

Nabers has been painted different color schemes over the years. Not as colorful as it used to be .

The menu is on the board at the side of each car slot. The prices and menu selections haven't changed much over the years.They still offer  hamburgers, hot dogs, corn dogs, onion rings, fries. They do offer plates now such as Fried Chicken, Corn on the Cob, as well as BBQ sandwiches and plates. The Fried Chicken is really good. It is basic drive in staples... but they still make milkshakes with real ice cream and in a variety of flavors. I remember peanut butter used to be favorite when I was in high school. They also will "spice" up your drink with cherry syrup, vanilla, etc. It is also the only place I know of where you can still get a "Pink Lady." I'll let you all figure that one out....can't tell everything I know. They also serve breakfast. I have never eaten breakfast at Nabers. 

One word of caution... we put slaw on our hamburgers down  here. If  you want lettuce, you have to ask for it. So if you want everything on your burger, ask for a hamburger (or cheeseburger) "all the way." That means ketchup, onion, pickle, tomato, mayo and slaw. You can get your burgers and dogs anyway you want but you gotta ask. 

 And   one more thing.. they do have  chili slaw buns.. For those uneducated folks out there... that is a hot dog bun, with chili and slaw. You can get mustard, onions and relish on it, but the locals ask for a chili slaw bun. My husband had never heard of one til he moved here. Now he loves them. I have to agree. 

Hot dog with mustard, chili and slaw & onion rings

Chili slaw bun with onion rings

Cheeseburger with chili

Hot Apple Pie with Ice Cream

One inside dining area

Same room with view of river

Order board with speaker box

The fries and onion rings are great. The pies are served hot with ice cream if you want.  And their signature dessert - Hot Fudge Cake is delish!! Brownie type cake with ice cream and hot fudge. Huge portions!  We did order a Hot Fudge Cake, but we ate it before we remembered to take a picture. You'll just have to go order one. 

We did not have a Pam question tonite. We basically caught up and talked about our various projects. We did talk about people's need to post every move they make on FB. What is that about? As if anyone is interested in what they had for breakfast or their hourly on again, off again relationship. I am of the generation that you don't air your dirty laundry in public and there is still a thing called decorum. Some of these younger folks need to look that one up. 

We have been getting lots of compliments on the ASC and we do appreciate the support and comments we get. Keep reading us.... our adventure continues. Maybe we'll get out of Swain County one of these days. 

Next week we will be at the Rivers End restaurant in the Nantahala Gorge. See you there at 6:30. Come join us if  you want. 

Newfound Lodge

    Newfound Lodge  August 2,2012

Hello everybody, I want to share with you about our trip to Newfound Lodge.It was just Susan and myself this week, Lisa wasn't there to share in this adventure we were on. Pam was still at her writers conference this week and missed out on all the fun. We arrived there around 6:45 and were taken to our seats which were in the side room next to the road. After looking at the menu I decided to just get the buffet bar. The fare for the night was Indian Dinners, as Susan explained in her blog, these dinners consist of fried chicken, fried potatoes, boiled cabbage, bean bread, chestnut bread or lye dumplings, fat back, greens and fat back grease. If properly prepared this is usually a very fine meal to partake of, on this night that wasn't the case! The only thing that was done right was the fried chicken and the lye dumplings.
   The rest of the food looked like it was cooked to death, there was a tremendous amount of grease on the potatoes, as I said in my last blog we grew up eating potatoes. What they had on the buffet was not appealing in the least bit. They also had pork chops on the buffet, in the past their chops were real good, so I was expecting a treat. What I got instead was a pork chop that had an odd flavor. I cannot put into words that will describe the flavor, so I won't try. Another thing is , I think the chops were boiled, this might be the cause of the taste. There was fry bread on the buffet also, now being from a western state, we know what fry bread is supposed to look like. what they had was like a piece of hardtack or a thick stale cracker. My sisters and nieces who make very good bread would hang their heads in shame and disbelief.
   Susan didn't fare any better, I think she might have taken at least 1 bite from her plate. What she had ordered was a big disappointment for her. All in all the night was a total bust for us, in my opinion it would be a very good idea to steer clear from eating here. Our next adventure takes us to Nabers Drive In, should make up this night. See y'all next week.

August 2, 2012 The Newfound Lodge, Cherokee, NC

As  you all might have noticed, we have been a little slack in blogging. Well, not all of us have. As you have read, Greg and Lisa went to the Cork & Bean. I was at the beach and didn't get to go. I did eat some good seafood while there. And listened to some good music.
We didn't go anywhere the next week as Lisa wanted to skip The Newfound Lodge (TNL). So we did. And! this week she  wanted to skip again. And did!! That slacker!!  But I am all for getting the bad stuff out of the way so you don't dread it anymore and can get on with the good stuff. So, Greg and I decided to brave it alone and off we went.
 Pam is still at a writers conference. Good for her... I hope she's working on that next book.

The Newfound Lodge has been around for quite a while. From the statement on their sign, since the 1940's. However, it has not been The Newfound Lodge that long or under the same owners or managers since the 1940's. It used to be a Shoney's chain and just recently changed to TNL. The building has also undergone several renovations and is quite a nice looking building now. It fits in with the mountain stone and timber frame buildings often associated with the mountains. 

On Thursdays, TNL offers Indian dinners on the buffet. They offer a buffet for each meal, with different items on each. I have not eaten at this restaurant in several years. It has not ever been one of my favorites, but as Shoney's you could count on getting a decent sandwich for lunch. The buffets were also fairly OK. 

For those of you who do not know what an Indian dinner is, it consists of Bean or Chestnut Bread, Fried Chicken, Cabbage, Pinto Beans & Hominy, Fat back, Greens,  Fried Potatoes and grease. Yes.... grease. Liquefied fatback grease. Folks put this on their bead bread. I personally do not eat the grease cause I can't quit picturing it solidifying in my arteries. The grease in the food is bad enough. 

Anyway, that is what was on the buffet tonite. Plus the salad bar, for those of you who feel they need to counterbalance the grease and fried foods with some veggies to ease your conscience. Or for hardcore Indian dinner eaters.. so you could see what veggies actually look like before they're fried. 

I had no plans of ordering the buffet, I just wanted to see what it looked like. On TNL buffets, they also added Fry Bread ( at least I think that  is what it was supposed to be), Lye Dumplings, and Pork Chops. 

They also did not have Chestnut Bread (my favorite) or Beans & Hominy. Greg ordered the buffet. 

Buffet -Fried Chicken, Pork Chops, Cabbage, Beans, Greens 

Fried Potatoes, Fatback and Grease

Bean Bread & Lye  Dumplings

Not sure you can tell from the pictures, but the entire buffet, excluding the salad bar was pretty unappetizing looking. The Bean Bread and Lye Dumplings looked pretty dry. Greg said the dumplings were pretty good however. He did not eat the Bean Bread. The fatback was cooked to perfection. (I tried a little piece). Not greasy, or cooked to death. The potatoes on the other hand, were floating in grease and the ones on top had a  thick, sheen on them, almost like they had been shellacked. They looked quite nasty. Greg did not try them either due to the appearance. 

The other items on the buffet didn't look any more appealing except the Chicken. 

Greg got little portions of some of the items as you can see. I will let him tell you about his meal. I can tell you.. it is not positive. He did let me have several bites of his Fried Chicken, and it was really good. 

However..one thing to note in the picture is the piece of  Fry Bread? It is wafer thin, thinner, if you can believe it;  than a water cracker. It snapped in two when he bent it and it was extremely crunchy. I am not sure who was making the Fry Bread back in the kitchen, but they just need to quit it. All those non Indians are going to think that is what Fry Bread looks and tastes like and it will be bad for Fry Bread vendors business. 

I ordered something that I thought would be fairly light, not too heavy and easy to fix. I was not feeling my best anyway. So, I ordered the chop steak or hamburger steak with gravy, and a baked potato. 

What I got was a pre- formed pressed meat? slab of  frozen something that had a shiny, translucent, glob of something on top. It was one of the nastiest things I have seen on a plate in a long time.  The baked potato was hard.. but not under cooked hard. More like old or cooked to death hard. It could not be mashed up into a nice fluffy potato but stayed hard and lumpy. The veggies as you can see, were cooked into oblivion. The carrots and broccoli (yes that is broccoli) were faded to pastel colors with the broccoli (yes, that is broccoli) being almost translucent. I think someone had boiled them for about 45 minutes to an hour. 

I took one bite of the meat? and asked for a to go box. I was not venturing any further into that meal hell. 

Quite frankly, I would have been ashamed to serve it and ask for payment. 

Both Greg and I got salads.. mine came with the meal. Since we fixed them ourselves, they were decent. Not a large selection of items on the salad bar. In fact, not even a medium number of items on the bar. But, at least they were fairly fresh. 

We got out of there without eating a lot.. and I went straight to Arby's and got myself a kids meal. It was late and that was all that was open. I fed my TNL meal to the dogs.. they enjoyed it... but they eat dead stuff.. so what do they know? Maybe it tasted familiar. 

I did meet a couple in the parking lot who asked me if the food was good. I told them 'No!", it was the worst meal I've had in years and I recommended them to go somewhere else. Anywhere else. 

It was my turn to pick.. since Pam was not here.. and Na-bers is our next venue. See you there on August 9th at 6:30. We have to eat and visit quick as they close at 8!! What's up with that??? !! 

Cork & Bean

  July 19th, 2012  CORK AND BEAN

This is Greg, The one whom y'all have heard about but not from. I am not the type who really does this sort of stuff, but given all the hell that I have been taking lately, I thought it wise to finally take the big leap and do this. Please be patient, this blog is about the Cork & Bean Wine Bar & Coffee House. It is located next to the square in Bryson City, actually it is across from Pasqualinos Restaurant. It is a small place with wooden floors, big windows and several small tables. When we arrived, that would be Lisa and myself, there weren't but a couple of other folks in the place. Susan took some time off to go to the beach to visit with her friend from Oregon. Pam had a family emergency to tend to, so she wasn't able to be there that evening either.

   Before Lisa arrived, I had ordered a Mocha Latte, it was very good and very hot!! When Lisa showed up it took some time to decide what to order.The menu consisted mainly of crepes, there were a few desserts, appetizers and one soup, Lobster Bisque. Lisa ordered the veggie crepe and an unsweet tea.I had a cup of the lobster bisque, which was very rich of course. I also ordered the albacore crepe, which I didn't know what to expect. This was only the second time for me eat a crepe, ever, like most folks our age, I grew up with the standard meat, beans and taters. I have to admit that it did taste good, guess that tuna salad does go with everything! I washed this down with a mint tea that was very pleasant. The mint flavor wasn't overpowering and it wasn't too sweet either.

Veggie Crepe

Albacore Crepe

 

The atmosphere was sort of relaxed until more people showed up, it got kinda loud for a few moments. I am the type of person who can't handle too much racket, first of all you almost have to shout to be heard and then having to hear what the other people are saying is next to impossible. BUT, we made it through the madness alright. All in all, the food is good but a bit pricey. The coffee is good and so is the different teas that they serve. There is a large parking area behind the building where the old jail used to be, so there is no problem with finding a place to park.  

Inside


Lisa drew and the next on the list is Newfound Lodge in Cherokee. See you there!