No meal is unpopular at Tomato Head

Downtown Knoxville to UT students is something like New Jersey must be to New Yorkers. Sure, they know it's there, but, they wonder, why bother making the trip? Just as this unfortunate attitude has kept legions of Manhattanites from ever venturing beyond the George Washington Bridge, many UT students avoiding the downtown area are missing out on one of Knoxville's most distinctive eateries: the Tomato Head. This Market Square cafeŽ has been serving Knoxvill's downtown for just more than a decade and is, in effect, an older brother to the many new downtown restaurants. From its layout to its content, the Tomato Head's menu is as unusual as any in Knoxville. Bearing the unmistakable design of a Yee-Haw Industries product, the menu offers pizzas and calzones on one side and sandwiches and salads on the other. Although no meal is unpopular, owner Mahasti Vafaie professed a particular affinity for the gourmet pizzas. "No. 14 is my favorite," Vafaie said, referring to a pizza topped with spinach, red onion, roma tomato, kalamata olive, banana pepper, fresh oregano and finished with either baked tofu or andouille sausage. If that seems like a mountain of toppings, most of the pizzas aren't any closer to a foothill. In addition to the litany of flavors on Vafaie's favorite, patrons can also eat a pie with smoked salmon, artichoke hearts, walnuts and black beans, among many others. Traditionalists, however, are still welcome to top their pizza with ham, pepperoni or anchovies. The Tomato Head's thin-crust pizza is available by the slice or in nine- and 14-inch pies. Slice prices range from $1.35 for plain cheese to $4.05 for Vafaie's No. 14, while most full pies are anywhere from $8 to $16. The menu's sandwiches more than hold their own against the pizza. Server Chris Hoose said both sell equally well. "We have some interesting veggie sandwiches and some really different toppings," Hoose said. Indeed they do. Pizza toppings like sweet basil and gorgonzola cheese add a potent spice to an ordinary turkey or ham sandwich. Gourmet recipes dominate the list, with most costing $4.25 for a half and $5.95 for the entire sandwich. A first-rate list of salads and daily soup choices round out the available lunch options. Tomato Head has recently added new things to its menu as well, including black bean nachos, fresh corn salsa and two new salads. Wood floors and tables, as well as the order-at-the-counter service, create a casual atmosphere in direct contrast to the activity of the earth movers outside the restaurant's front window. Despite the coats and ties of many customers, the Tomato Head is thoroughly relaxed. The restaurant occasionally hosts compact disc release parties, as well as monthly show openings for new exhibits. For such events, drinkers can choose from a moderate selection of microbrews or an extensive wine list, with vintages from South Africa, Australia and Italy. The Market Square eatery is open for business at 11 a.m. daily. With its atypical cuisine and friendly ambiance, the Tomato Head provides ample reason to lure students beyond downtown's Henley Street border.