The night before I went to The Orangery I began flipping through my closet for something dressy and casual. I am not the type of girl to dress up, and when I heard that this restaurant was a no-jeans-kind-of-place, I had to rethink my prerogative. I joined the Food and Media class to learn more about food and how to write about it, not to go to an upscale restaurant and be looked down upon for my lacking social graces. I suppose before signing up for the class I felt too secure that the odds of having to review one of the nicest, if not the nicest, restaurants in Knoxville would be slim to none. I was wrong and I would have to pay for that wrong with a skirt. 

    When I first arrived at The Orangery I was a bit perturbed at the fact that in my sixteen years of living in this city never once have I noticed the restaurant on Kingston Pike off of Homberg Drive. It is possible that the restaurant is so majestic that it remains invisible to those of the socially-challenged, as I so openly classify myself. Stepping out of my car, I was overcome with a sense of wonder. The outside of the fortress was strong and seemed to be riddled by entrances and staircases leading to secret areas I may never see.  My instinct gestured me to the large set of doors under the extended curtain awning. It was too late to turn back. I quickly felt like Alice tumbling down a rabbit hole. Stepping through the threshold, I left Knoxville and entered a contemporary European American-fussed Renaissance.

    As I curiously ushered myself through the door I was immediately greeted by a warm smile. The hostess was quite hospitable as she asked if I would care for a drink while I waited, but I declined and she returned patiently to her post. The sitting room was decently lit and comfortable with cushioned chairs and an awkwardly placed grand piano squeezed against the back wall. Glancing at the table next to me, I half-hoped to find a small petit four with the words "eat me," written in icing waiting to turn me into a micro-me so that I might slip out of the door unnoticed. Waking from my daydream, I saw nothing but water spots left by sweating glasses from the night before. I had found a flaw. I exhaled with great relief.

    As my peers slowly filtered into the room, I was beginning to feel anxious to begin my anticipated courtship with The Orangery's celebrated cuisine. Judging by the fidgeting demeanors of everyone else, the feelings of curiosity and hunger were mutual. When our party was complete the hostess guided us to our tables. The tables were set for four with fresh silverware, a small shaded lantern and two subtly scented white roses for display. I recognized the romantic essence of the atmosphere. The waiter was quickly by our table and ready to begin our experience by asking for our beverage orders. I do not recall if he gave us his name, but he was polite and quite knowledgeable about the menu and the specials of the day. One thing that detracted from his service, however, was the strong scent of smoke. His professionalism complimented the atmosphere of The Orangery, but the fact that he smelled smoky slightly detracted from my feeling high-society dining.

    As I was handed a folded lunch menu I realized that I, along with the three other students at my table, was feeling awkward and unsure about the next phase in my Orangery experience. Opening the menu I became quickly engrossed in the colorful variety of entrees, salads and pastas to choose from. Two of my company were hesitant about the exotic Franco-American menu selections, and turned to me for advice.  I recommended the shrimp sautéed with tomatoes, basil, avocado and feta cheese over lemon fettuccine to one and the pan-seared scallops over spinach tagliatelle to the other. Since I had willfully given up both of my top two lunch choices to the less adventurous in my party, I scrambled to find something I could dive for. Our waiter recommended the Blue Crab salad, which was humbly priced at twelve dollars. Glancing over the description, I felt nervous about eating such a light meal, but I overcame my hesitance and agreed to try the salad.

    As I waited, I noticed that our food took a considerable amount of time to reach our table, but when the food finally arrived, the display quickly replaced my almost annoyance with immediate excitement.  Placed in front of me was a mirage-like piece of edible art. Crowned with a considerable portion of tender crabmeat, the tossed greens and spring mix were colorfully adorned with sliced strawberries, slivers of mango and kiwi. I tentatively forked a combination of the Blue Crab and salad. To my delight, the crabmeat was not overpowering. Combined with a sweet vinaigrette dressing, the crab and the salad complimented each other perfectly. The strawberry contributed a luscious splash of flavor that created a cool, refreshing effect in my mouth. The salad was topped delicately with seasoned pistachios that pleasantly diversified the fruity blend.  Feeling as if I had eaten dessert instead of lunch, I realized that no one ingredient of the salad was more prominent than another. I was pleasantly surprised. I was happy to report to my peers that my meal was a delicious success as I munched eagerly on left over mango and kiwi.

    I finished my meal and felt less threatened at the idea of dessert since my lunch had been so light.  Scavenged plates were lifted from our table and after dinner menus were substituted. Eyeing the other members of my party, I quickly decided on the Chocolate Ganouch, which was modestly priced under ten dollars, to conclude my experience at The Orangery. The dessert was rich in flavor and texture. It was complimented by fresh raspberries and a caramel pecan glaze. The underside of the ganouch rested on a soft, sugary breadcrumb crust.  The fudge-like ganouch was almost too much to digest, but it was too delicious to refuse. I finished the dessert, which resulted in a brief period of groaning as I made way out of the restaurant to my car.

    Overall, my experience was quite pleasant. Before my visit, I was expecting to walk into an overpriced, high-society hangout where I would struggle to find anything appetizing on the menu. The Orangery has a reputation for being fancy and pricey, but I found, at least during lunch hours, that the food and service was quite modest considering the caliber of the restaurant as a whole. Most people will be able to find something agreeable on the menu. Our waiter even mentioned that modest meals can be made for finicky children, and some adults, I might add. The elaborate names and descriptions of menu items may deter casual clients from choosing the restaurant for lunch, but I highly recommend it for it's unique selection, comfortable environment and helpful service. The Orangery also accepts all forms of payment, including checks, for optimal customer convenience. Instead of telling your coworkers you got chicken nuggets at McDonalds, become the envy of the office by recounting your delightful experience at The Orangery. I am glad that I stepped out of my comfort zone to partake in good food with good friends. I probably wouldn't eat there everyday, but it was a refreshing change to my routine.