What's Cooking: For country cooking, look no further than the Indian Springs Grill

If you like country cooking and daily "blue plate" specials, you'll want to stop by Indian Springs Grill, located in the former Greenwood Market building just east of East Lawn Cemetery on State Route 126/Memorial Boulevard.If you love a great fish fry (white fish, catfish and/or shrimp), you'll want to hurry by some Friday. The casual restaurant's signature "best in town" Fish Fry Friday begins at 11 a.m. each Friday and is available until 7 p.m. — or until the food runs out.The eatery, more visible since it moved to the old Greenwood from a nearby shopping center, is owned and operated by Gene and Lisa Burchell, who are quick to credit loyal customers and experienced and dedicated employees with making the restaurant a success.Whether you dine in or order carryout, you're likely to see old friends or make new ones, the Burchells say."If you're looking for a casual, friendly place to eat, come see us," Lisa Burchell said. "You'll be glad you did. You might just see someone you know. Come on out to see us, eat good food and make new friends."Indian Springs Grill serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. "Grandma's Lunch Specials" (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, served with two sides, a drink and a roll — $7.99) range from chicken casserole or chicken and dumplings to meatloaf to cube steak with gravy or fried chicken livers. The restaurant is closed Sundays and Mondays, open for breakfast only (7 a.m. to 11 a.m.) on Saturdays. Fridays all-day feature is "Grandpa's Fish Fry."Lisa Burchell answered the following questions for the Times News:Q: How long has your restaurant been in operation?A: Indian Springs Ice Cream and Grill opened for business in July 2017. We took a leap of faith and on a wing and a prayer opened up in a small space with 16 seats, cooking our burgers on three large George Foreman grills, a cook stove and a steamer when we first started. A year later we moved to a larger space with 44 seats. After three years, we'd outgrown it and moved to our current location, which used to house the Greenwood Market. I was a former employee of Greenwood, so in a sense I've returned home.Q: What do you consider the specialties at your restaurant and why?A: Our fish fry on Fridays and our hand-pattied fresh burgers.Q: What is your culinary education and how did you learn to do what you do in the kitchen?A: No degrees, no chefs. Just good, down-home cooking passed from grandmas and mothers through the years. We now have a new cook, known to all as "Punch," who was with the Sittin' Bull in Gray for 20-some years. We are thrilled to have her with us.Q: Explain in as much detail as possible why your restaurant is appealing to customers and how you maintain that ambience.A: We are community-oriented. We support our schools. We support our law enforcement. We display pictures of our regulars. We've had our share of struggles ... but thanks to the wonderful support of the Indian Springs community and our loyal customers we're still here, and we appreciate that support so much. We are blessed to be able to do what we do with the help of our wonderful employees, and we thank them so much.Q: Do you share recipes with your diners?A: We've been asked numerous times, but we don't, as most of our recipes are passed-down family recipes.Q: How do you think your restaurant differs from other restaurants in the Tri-Cities region?A: We are in a small community. We have a lot of older customers, and most everyone who comes in knows everyone else.Q: What are the advantages and disadvantages of your location?A: We are in an iconic building that's been here forever and is considered a landmark. I really don't see any disadvantages to where we are unless it will be any changes caused by the State Route 126 road project when they get to this section of the road.Q: How often do you change the menu at the restaurant and why?A: We've changed our logo three times. And have changed prices only four times during our four years in business.Q: What's your favorite cookbook?A: Don't really have one, but do like the recipes in church cookbooks or passed-down family recipes.Location: 5121 Memorial Blvd., Kingsport, TennesseePhone: 423-212-2568Website: http://indianspringsgrill.com/Menu: Indian Springs Grill - Kingsport, TN - Our MenuHours: Closed Sunday and Monday; 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday; 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday.