Picked up the key to our downtown apartment and saw this sign:

Loved the idea because it’s 1) a farm-to-table dinner (a first for us), and 2) hosted by two favorite people: Ben Becker who owns Harry’s and Jeremy Walker who works for Eagle Distributing.  AND Harry’s is located in the 100 Block of Gay Street just a few doors up from our downtown apartment.

Ben Becker, Owner/Chef/Sometimes Clean-up Guy - Harry's

Jeremy Walker (Eagle Distributing) between talks!

Six fabulous courses (Ben can flat-out cook!) accompanied by craft beers (Jeremy knows his ales from his pilsners!):

Menu and Beer Pairings:

• Bacon popcorn  paired with Shift Pale Lager
• Cured meat platter, assorted pickles, bread — Yazoo Hop Project
• Fontina raclette, garlic, herbs, crispy fingerlings — Blue Paddle Pilsner
• Wilted frisee from (Mountain Meadows Farm) , lardons, poached egg, radish, mustard vinaigrette — Yazoo Hefeweizen

And then the main course:

Smoked, braised pork belly, roasted beet & sweet onion salad, pickled fennel served with Brooklyn Brown Ale

And the piece de resistance:

Rhubarb Upside Down Cake dolloped with honey Sambuca creme fraiche accompanied by Sweetwater Exodus Porter!

Found out later that Ben, his wife Amy, and the other staffers prepare almost everything by hand — from smokin’ their own meats, picklin’ the beets, and hand-rollin’ the dough for chewy, crusty bread! Harry’s is part of the Slow Food movement, never hurried, always quality.  Folks come back to this Jewish/Italian deli for daily specials like pastrami on rye, homemade tiramisu, and lemon almond tortes!  You never know what Ben will have on the menu, but if this dinner was any indication, we’ll be back again and again.

That night, as an added bonus, we did exactly what Jeremy asked us to do — meet new people, make new friends.  Here are a few of our dining companions! 

Anne Marie Tugwell (Dewhirst Properties) and daughter Laura

Charlotte Tolley (Just Ripe & Market Square Farmers' Market) and Wes Caylor (Jupiter Entertainment)

Jeremy with Shannon Meadows (Mountain Meadows Farm)

For an added treat, our singer for the evening, Mica Jenkins, visiting from Washington, D.C., stopped by our table!

Singer Mica Jenkins chats with Anne Marie Tugwell.

So, if you like hand-made bread, cured and smoked meats, and farm-to-table fresh ingredients, head to Harry’s in the 100 Block!  Harry’s is one of three farm-to-table restaurants in Knoxville along with The Plaid Apron and The Tomato Head.

Harry’s is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 11 to 3, Saturdays from 8 to 3, and on First Fridays from 11 to 10!