Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 5, 1995 TAG: 9507050006
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ALMENA HUGHES FOOD EDITOR
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The popular eatery's departure would leave the Roanoke Valley without a totally vegetarian restaurant. Diners - especially those seeking dishes free of animal byproducts - as well as meat-eaters in search of lighter, lower-calorie lunchtime fare, anticipated problems finding suitable food.
Fortunately, every cloud has a silver lining. This one, in fact, had two:
The restaurant will be reincarnated in a new location, under new ownership, and the valley also will get its first totally vegetarian catering service. If the new proprietors seem familiar, it's because they're all former Eden Way Place employees.
Tom Knapczyk, a former Eden Way Place cook, and his wife, Dorothy Knapczyk, a former server/cashier, bubbled like two happy cauldrons when they recently announced their plans to open Eden's Vegetarian Cafe Deli at 104 Church Street (across from the Norfolk-Southern building) by early August. Their 16-year-old daughter, Kristy, will assist them with operations.
"I think of myself as a minister of health," Tom Knapczyk said. "The more I learned about healthier ways of eating and living, the more I wanted to reach out and show others the greatness of it."
Knapczyk said that he is certified in food-service sanitation by the City of Roanoke and also has taken food courses at the Hartland Health Institute in Rapidan. He said that Eden's will offer many of its predecessor's most popular dishes, including chili, black beans and 7-grain burgers, prepared with mild seasonings and without any fermented ingredients or animal byproducts.
It will continue serving its predecessor's popular whole-grain breads, which will now be prepared by baker Dan Frisby in Tennessee and shipped for next-day delivery. And it will reinstate desserts, including spice buns and apple pie, which Eden Way Place had discontinued after its baker left about six months ago.
Operating in a smaller space than did Eden Way Place, Eden's will have limited seating, if any, and will mainly function as a take-out delicatessen. It plans to carry limited supplies of vitamins, minerals and herbal supplements and will be able to take orders for those it does not carry.
Once the Rocky Mount Seventh Day Adventist Church School's cookbook, "Seasoned With Love," is updated to include recipes from Eden's, the cafe will carry copies of it for sale. It also may do some limited vegan catering, although Knapczyk said most of those requests will be referred to the other offshoot operation, Bush & Bumble Bee catering (see related story).
Eden's will open from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday through Friday to accommodate lunchtime diners as well as people who might be interested in picking up something for dinner on their way home. The Knapczyks, who are Seventh Day Adventists, will close on Saturdays, which is their sabbath.
"We'll also be closed on Sunday, just because we need some family time," Knapczyk said, although he said he might consider having someone else open and operate the cafe on that day.
"I'm really happy that we're able to continue serving these healthful foods," Knapczyk said. "When people have clear minds and healthy bodies, they express themselves better."
To reach him, call 344-EDEN.
by CNB