Tasted ~ Cafe 4

The majority of my time spent in Knoxville was inside a lecture room learning structures from the deservingly raved about Professor Thaddeus, but I did get to enjoy one local treat with my Memphis group - Cafe 4 in Market Square. Market Square near the University of Tennessee campus was in itself impressive in its urban appeal containing a park bracketed with restaurants, storefronts, and outdoor stage. Cafe 4 continued the lively ambiance with the ultra-cool lighting and architectural details. The Nikon F camera I had handy couldn't capture the food shots that well but it did capture that ambiance that probably kept all the tables filled and helped the long waiting list to form.

We opted not to wait but was immediately offered some open spots in the lounge on the mezzanine level. Expecting a subpar experience from the main dining room, we were almost grateful we got the quiet little table upstairs. I'm suspecting we also got our food a little faster since our server seemed wholly assigned to our area. We could have gotten the food even faster if every single thing on the menu didn't sound so appetizing.

Here's what we finally ordered and tasted:
~Market Square Mini Crab Cakes {Jeanne}
~Low Country Shrimp and Grits {Sophorn}
~Blackened Shrimp on Grilled Romaine {Jason}

My favorite twist to the Shrimp and Grits dish was the addition of goat cheese, one of my favorite cheeses. All in all we were happy to end our long day with a satisfying meal.

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Thanks to Jeanne, the UT grad, for showing us her favorite part of Knoxville. Thanks to Jason for helping initiate the seminar trip from Memphis. Special thanks to Professor Thaddeus and Susanne for organizing the seminar. Wish us all good luck on our ARE structures exams. / FYI: I've got a ton of restaurant reviews yet to post. See sneak peeks here. You may notice the ones I post much more quickly are the ones where I can't wait to thank people.

Cafe 4
4 Market Square
Knoxville, TN 37902



Film Photos by Sophorn. Cafe 4 renovation and design project by Smee + Busby Architecture (where Susanne is a designer). It was the winner of  the 2009 Excellence Award in Historic Renovation.