Mystery Diner: Group finds serenity and delicious food at The Black Olive

The weather has been very interesting of late. My dining partner and I were returning home when the little gray cloud that had followed us most of the way from Morristown had gained in size and ominousness. My Eastwood-style glance (that I'd been practicing of late) in the rear-view mirror was followed by my declaration that the two of us were having supper at The Black Olive in Jonesborough, where we would let the storm pass us by.Making a brief call to the Retiree, my dining partner apprised her of our plans and got an affirmative on the invite. The Retiree also said she was bringing along her friend to join us.First impressionsThe Black Olive in Jonesborough is Moe Farrouki and Kinsey Holliday's flagship of their Black Olive chain. From Johnson City, head toward Jonesborough via West Market Street to the new Jonesborough Highway (U.S. Highway 11-E.) In Jonesborough, when the road name changes to East Jackson Boulevard, turn right at East Cherokee Street.With the Washington County Justice Center (and its picturesque Jonesborough Jail) on your left, you should almost immediately turn right into the parking lot at 125 W. Jackson Blvd., Suite 8. The Black Olive's front door is on your left in the middle portion of the row of storefronts.The Black Olive's front door opens on their spacious and airy main dining area. Their cashier and carry-out counter is immediately inside on your left, with a more intimate dining area tucked behind it. Access to restrooms and kitchen is toward the rear of the building and fronted by a partitioned order prep area.Our server Nick greeted us at the door and showed us to a table where the Retiree and her friend the Mermaid were joining us. Pleasant and professional, Nick got our drink orders and was also very helpful, listening carefully to dietary issues — my allergy to fresh basil, for instance.SelectionsThis being The Black Olive, the menu was more Mediterranean than Italian, and definitely not a spaghetti and sauce joint. My dining partner and the Retiree informed the Mermaid of the tradition that we turn our Black Olive get-togethers into a smorgasbord, where everyone gets to share of each of the meals ordered.One particular item found on the appetizer side of The Black Olive's menu is their Italian Nachos ($12). Being a favorite of the dining partner, the nachos were first on the ticket.I wanted something light and chose Black Olive's namesake salad (also $12).The Mermaid was intrigued by the Athens-style Greek pizza ($16) and, feeling adventurous, ordered a 10-inch model.Meanwhile, our friend the Retiree had been pondering several possible choices for her supper but finally settled on a Steak and Cheese Calzone ($16).How it tastesMy Black Olive Salad was cold and fresh, built on a bed of crispy iceberg lettuce, together with some rings of purple onion, black olives, slices of banana peppers, thick slices of crunchy cucumber and red Roma tomatoes. What my salad needed was some of The Black Olive's excellent house vinaigrette drizzled over it, making it a good partner for my dining partner's Italian Nachos.Speaking of which, those nacho chips were in fact delicious fried pasta chips, layered together with banana peppers, black olives, slices of white meat chicken (our choice) or Italian sausage (or both), then covered with The Black Olive's proprietary Alfredo sauce, its baking melting its two types of cheese: mozzarella and aged parmesan.The Mermaid's Athens Greek Pizza was a totally delicious mixture of feta cheese, garlic, Roma tomatoes, spinach and black olives all dusted with mozzarella cheese and baked until bubbly.The Retiree's Steak and Cheese Calzone was a winner, being coarsely chopped flank steak sautéed with onions, mushrooms and green peppers, layered with mozzarella cheese before being stuffed into a folded 12-inch pizza crust and baked until crunchy-golden outside and savory-yummy on the inside.The bottom lineThe "shared-around" approach stood the four of us in good stead, as we sampled and enjoyed our impromptu smorgasbord. In The Black Olive, the four of us had found safety, serenity and delicious food.That approaching "Tennessee downpour" turned into a lot of lightning and thunder but very little in the form of rain."All sound and fury, signifying nothing," as Shakespeare said.It didn't bother us. We had found our quiet place.