Just over six months ago, I wrote about St. Lucille coming to 8 Emory Place. Owned by Michael Frede and co-operated with his Aaron McClain, owner of his Crafty Bastard next door, this restaurant is poised to make Knoxville a spicier place. Tomorrow, we'll be serving up your favorite South Louisiana dishes with a twist from Chef Eric New.
The space itself is now beautiful (and has come a long way since we toured it in November). Although the concrete floors are polished, you can see the various marks that have accumulated over the past 100 years. You'll find lots of exposed brick and wood. A huge skylight casts bright light onto everything below.
The tabletops were once provided to patrons of the former Kopita and Kopita Meat, but Lilienthal Gallery refinished them with resin over gold leaf, making each one unique and beautiful. Behind the bar is a series of classically inspired panels by Ilana Brodt, which puts a new spin on the nude paintings behind the bar. Another painting by Aurel Brodt brightens the walls, and vintage French posters and other framed posters convey themes of French culture.
This 80's capacity restaurant has plenty of double and four tops. But it also includes a “family dining area” where large groups or new friends can sit together (another long table inside the restaurant serves the same purpose). Cozy area. The seat, set a short distance from the others, features a mantle (think crackling fire) and his original 1930s-style radio, which Aaron says still has an AM radio. It is said that the signal can be received. Instead, house music will be played, possibly a mix of zydeco, Cajun and jazz.
A metal plaque from the original Miller's Department Store on Gay Street will make a surprise appearance, anchoring the location to the city. To further enhance the effect, a history wall will be installed featuring the history of Emory Place up to the present day, with historic photos and a short story by Jack Neely. It may be a bit of a stretch thematically, but to fully appreciate Prince's bathroom, you absolutely have to check it out.
The bar program will feature several Crafty Bastard beers on tap, three wines, and rotating cocktails. They start with Hurricane, all made with local liquor and prickly pear juice (“grown in Knoxville”), with a Knoxville twist. This is the first in the KnoLa series of classic New Orleans cocktails with Knoxville ingredients, and it promises to be a lot of fun.
A native of Knoxville, Chef Eric attended culinary school at Johnson & Wales in Charleston. He helped open Sunspot at the time and worked for Ella Gurus. Most recently, he has been working with a food distribution company, through which he met Mike, as well as by being a customer on Last Days of Autumn. Over late night drinks, the idea of working together was born and now it has become a reality. Mike cooked some Cajun food at Last Days, but Eric said he noticed that while there were plenty of burgers, taco pizzas, chicken wings, and Asian food, there wasn't much Cajun food. When I searched on Google, the name Chesapeake came up. “I thought it would be a good opportunity to try some unique cuisine.”
“We wanted it to be very simple and as true to authentic Cajun cooking as possible,” Eric said of the basic concept. The result is a small, focused menu. Each category has vegan or vegetarian options. Appetizers are his 5-course selection of hot crawfish dip, praline cream cheese spread (sweet and savory – Mike's creation), BBQ shrimp, grilled boudin (delivered from New Orleans), and hop cake (gluten-free/vegan). A salad is also included.
Sandwiches include the Hot Beef Po' Boy (all po' boys are served on Gambino French bread from New Orleans), Andouille Po' Boy, Roasted Cauliflower Po' Boy (vegetarian), Blue Crab Cake Sandwich, and Muffaletta. “All of our breads come from Gambino's, a New Orleans bakery that opened in the 1940s. They (muffalettas) are sesame rolls, half a pound of meat, two ounces of cheese, and a really spicy giardiniera. .”
Entrees include red beans and rice (gluten-free, made with camellia red beans), chicken and sausage gumbo, and vegetarian etouffee (gluten-free). “Red beans and rice is a classic, but since it's red beans and rice rather than rice and red beans, it's also fulfilling on its own.” We ate it at Last Days, and some people from New Orleans said, “It's just like grandma used to make.” The etouffee uses Bob's Red Mill gluten-free flour, vegetable stock, kale, mushrooms, and chickpeas. ”
Urban Woman and I tried out a few items. She had a muffaletta with red beans and rice. We shared the warm crawfish dip and BBQ shrimp and I had the etouffee. I'm not a food critic, so I'm not going to explain the layers of deliciousness. We liked everything and want to explore more. The crawfish dip and barbecue shrimp were at the top of my list of favorites. My etouffee had the perfect roux and the lack of meat didn't detract from my experience. We will definitely be back (and order less food – we were full!).
Our group is proud of our accomplishments in transforming an office space into a super cool restaurant space. Chef Eric said he wants to start with a very simple menu and add to it as it makes sense. He said he plans to eat “holiday gumbo” (with shrimp and crabmeat, which Mamaw makes) “every six weeks.” “My gumbo game is strong,” he says, and he makes a rotation of gumbo every month. The restaurant will start without dessert, but bread pudding will be available soon. Also, be sure to check out creative menu items like the “Azuki Bean Falafel.'' Eric believes the restaurant will stand out and expects it to be around for a long time, he said.
Pick up a menu by the door, walk up to the bar, order, and your food will be delivered to your table. If you come this Sunday, you might find a tighter menu prepared in anticipation of the open street crowds. The restaurant will initially be open Wednesday through Friday from 4pm to 9pm, Saturday from noon to 9pm, and Sunday from noon to 8pm.
Follow them on Facebook and check out their website for updates.
