YUMMM! Restaurant Haiku Winners and Runners-Up

We called for haiku that celebrates the Knoxville restaurant scene, and our readers responded enthusiastically (though occasionally not in the 5-7-5 syllable format, which yielded a few DQs). Now, for the best of the bunch. Drum roll please....

1st PLACE

Cairo Cafe: The Mirage of Knoxville

Belly dancing goes
Well with lamb couscous. Egypt
calls through hooka haze.
—Kevin Hosey

2nd PLACE

Calhoun’s on the River

fried green tomatoes
each summer with my mother
homegrown like our love
—Donna Doyle

RUNNERS-UP:

Chez Guevera

Cactus meets Elvis
Its decor is somewhat gauche
NOM NOM NOM La Paz
—Jenny Wright

Pei Wei Mike

Hunger comes my way
Wok Cook Michael at Pei Wei
Sweet sour spicy hot Zen
—Jackie Hardin

Tomato Head

I am not vegan
Nine inch number four add shrooms
Makes me want to be
—Angelique Wright

Niceley’s Tavern

The old place I know
from days of music and friends gone.
Now burgers fill my soul!
—Jennie Caissie

Palavah Hut

Flowing ginger juice
Rests in Palavah Hut shade
Cool inside and out
—Kelle Jolly

Harby’s

When I need a slice
Harby’s pizza will suffice
Load it up for me!
—Kelly Wright

Magpies

oh, choc, oh, choc, oh
gasm! chocogasm! oh!
oh! chocogasm!
—Donna Doyle

Puleo’s Panoply*

Fried green tomatoes,
Chocolate hazelnut mousse -
Alpha, Omega
—Lola Estes

*Panoply: a magnificent or impressive array

Sitar

Sitar and saffron
Tandoori, panir, and rice
It’s loka on earth
—David Vinson

Nice

Mango Lemon Lime
Rita’s Ice so sweet sublime
Tangy Tasty Treat
—Jeannie Hall

The French Market

Warm chocolate pain
Flaky euphoria YUM
French morning delight
—Tayna Baysinger

Cafe 4

Cafe 4 lunch. Dogs
Watch the people walk the dog
While looking for maters.
—Kevin Hosey

Crown and Goose Hour

Race against the clock
Pint order in by seven
Steal a red sofa
—Denae Darcy

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