By Hillary Dooley, 2013
Located down a tiny alleyway in Brevard, North Carolina is The Square Root restaurant. It was a beautiful, warm day in the mountains. The outdoor patio with hanging green plants and bustle of people drew me to the restaurant. There were families with young children, couples in their late 20s sitting at the bar, and older gentleman watching football at the bar. It is a gathering spot for locals and tourists, and on a busy Sunday, we managed to find two seats at the bar.
The bar is unlike any I have ever seen. It is made from the most magnificent wood, and I felt a newfound sense of serenity as I took a seat. The back of the menu described the bar top as “a milled slab of spalted Ambrosia Maple felled in recent years on King Street.” I noticed the unique design of the floor: 6,127 blocks of yellow pine, intricately and thoughtfully fitted together to create a strong foundation to support the naturalistic theme, not to mention the actual restaurant itself. The atmosphere itself was warm with dark brick walls, vibrant paintings, and a light that softened the restaurant.
I ordered the local Brevard Oktoberfest beer, and it came in a tall glass with a green Brevard label. My friend and I began talking with the couple next to us. Bill Vanderwerff is a local to Brevard who spends half the year selling real estate in Florida. As it turns out, he was from the same town in Pennsylvania as me. Here we were in a small mountain town along Highway 64 at a local bar, and this man was from the same town as me. That is just the kind of place Brevard is. In that moment, I was reminded of what a small world we live in and how taking the time and effort to talk to others around you increases your understanding of the world and brings you closer to the ones around you.
My meal came, and the Square Root salad was the perfect match to my ginger squash soup. I finished up my conversation with Bill, ate the last delicious bites of my salad, and headed out much happier than when I went in. As I left this small restaurant with natural décor and mountain friendships, I heard a local tell the bartender, “See ya ‘round the barnyard.”