Metro Pulse/Restaruant Rover/Morel

Comment
on this story

Morel Fine Food To Go
4546 Chapman Hwy.
573-2828

by Ally Carte

Sometimes the best-laid plans of even the most organized restaurant reviewer go horribly awry—and that's doubly true when, like yours truly, your organizational system would make a professional planner toss up his hands and run shrieking into that good night. The great thing about such a system is that it can be dynamic; that is, willing and able to twist as needed to each set of circumstances as fate sees fit to provide them.

Case in point: the eatery I was going to write about this week turned out to be so remarkably—not to put too fine a point on it—bad that it just wouldn't be sporting to bandy it about on this here page. Rather than feel like a big, mean jungle cat torturing a deformed capybara for hours before devouring the defenseless morsel, I decided to simply let that particular prey continue to live out its (probably) short life without a mauling from the local weekly. Discretion is the better part of valor, they say, and the name of this establishment shall never again leave my lips. Yes, it was that bad.

Kismet was on my side, however. As some cosmic reward, the rottenness of one eatery (and an ever-looming deadline) drove me into the arms of my destiny. The journey itself was unexpected, but the destination was divine. Who knew such dining delights could exist near the Bi-Lo on Chapman Highway?

From the outside, Morel could be any number of the usual strip mall suspects and that appearance carries through to the interior. Granted, once you walk in and see the tables and chairs, you're well aware that you're in a place that serves food, rather than, say, a Mailboxes 'r' Us or card shop. Appearance-wise, Morel is simple, not designed to immediately impress. Until you get a taste of the food, that is, then your taste buds will be wowed.

When you enter, walk right up to the glass-front counter and start eyeballing that day's selections. Choices change frequently, but some dishes—like the curried peas, ratatouille, chocolate mousse and both veggie and meat lasagnas—seem to be constant companions. The helpful folk behind the counter are more than willing to give you both samples and a run-down of how each item was constructed. All of Morel's offerings can be consumed on the premises or packed to go, which was what we ended up opting for. The rest of the weekend was spent in a state of constant culinary delight as each new package was opened.

Take, for instance, the ginger smoked turkey salad sandwich on toast ($5.25 or $8.95 for a pound of just the turkey salad). It turns out that the Morel folk smoke their own birds [insert joke here] and that extra touch is telling once you take a bite. Juicy roma tomatoes squirt into your mouth, punctuated by crisp lettuce and the perfectly chewy homestyle bread. The flavors of the smoked turkey and a light mayo pair wonderfully with just enough ginger to give what could be a bland, gummy amalgam a fresh bite. Other great sammies are offered as well, like a ham and smoked gouda with grilled onions ($5.25) that I hope is still in the rotation the next time I stop down.

Also great was the ham and roasted red pepper quiche ($3.25 per hefty slice), which is also available veggie-style with mushrooms and spinach ($3.25). The pastry is flaky—even when reheated at home—and the custard not overly eggy, which lets the sweet chunks of ham and snappy red peppers shine. The side of curried peas with onions ($3.25 per pound) I picked up for a post-yardwork snack feature fresh, still green-tasting peas paired with a delicate creamy curry concoction. The hand wielding the curry shaker was just gentle enough to not overpower the clean-tasting peas, but still strong enough to make a statement.

Not to be missed is the chocolate mousse ($2.25). Airy, yet still dense with chocolate goodness, this dessert is a great late night snack or, even better, a sweet start to any new day. Also on the apres entree side was a sinful-looking bread pudding with whiskey sauce ($1.75) that I, unfortunately, never got a chance to try, since refrigerator elves consumed it before I could snag a bite.

John Lennon had a point with the whole instant karma concept. The endurance test of the restaurant I intended to review led me to discover a simply yummy little place on the south side of town that, hopefully, will manage to make a go of it in an inauspicious location. It's about time there was a great-tasting take-out option that travels beyond mere pizza and questionable Chinese. Morel has moved near the top of my list for delish dishes in Knoxville.

But, not to be greedy, if only we could get something similar up north, say, closer to a certain restaurant reviewer's abode, all would be absolute bliss.