This was just my second trip to Knoxville, ever, since the Volunteers weren\u2019t that relevant for a huge portion of my career, and it\u2019s not as easy to get to some of the other SEC schools. The first time I went was a barely 24-hour trip in 2022, too short for a writeup, and the one meal I had on that trip was at a restaurant that closed last year (Olibea). So this is my first-ever Knoxville post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Last time through, I wanted to try A Dopo Sourdough Pizza<\/a>, but couldn\u2019t make the timing work around the game, so this time I was determined to give myself two shots to go but got in after the Friday game, possibly with the last dough of the evening. It is Neopolitan-style pizza in the baking and the thickness, but the dough is different \u2013 it is noticeably tangy, clearly made from a sourdough starter rather than commercial yeast as most Neapolitan doughs are. I went with the margherita and added mushrooms, because their white pizzas all have a sauce of mascarpone & cream on them, and that\u2019s more lactose than I really need; the tomatoes were out of sight, blasted with sweetness and just a little acidity, while the mushrooms were mixed wild mushrooms rather than just cremini. I didn\u2019t quite finish it because the menu demanded that I save room for gelato, and I do listen to orders, at least at restaurants. The dark chocolate gelato was not dark in the least, but the texture was excellent. I probably should have ordered the pistachio instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Last trip, I tried Remedy<\/a>, a local coffee shop that served Intelligentsia beans, so I planned to try another coffee shop this year after going for breakfast \u2026 and then I went to Paysan, a bagel\/bakery window that, I realized as I pulled up, is right next to Remedy. This turned out to be a bit of serendipity, as Remedy now uses Rowan Coffee from Asheville, NC, so I got a chance to try a new roaster. Their Peru San Juan Pueblo Libre<\/a> was on pour-over, with some raw cocoa and caramel notes. The Remedy space is really great \u2013 it was busy but not noisy, there\u2019s plenty of light and seating, and it\u2019s not as sparse as a lot of coffee shops (with no subway tiles). Paysan\u2019s<\/a> bagel was very good \u2013 it\u2019s probably an average New York bagel, maybe a high 45, but on the non-NY scale it\u2019s at least a 55. I actually was more disappointed in the egg on the sandwich, which was a square of scrambled egg that had no taste and a texture that was oddly homogenous. I\u2019d just get something else on a bagel next time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n