In Biblical terms the word “manna” refers to the food miraculously provided to the Israelites in the wilderness, but in more general terms it means something very welcome or of great benefit that comes unexpectedly. Both definitions, however, are equally applicable to Jamestown's newest restaurant, Fresh Manna, for owner Marcia Devlin sincerely believes that it is a gift from God. And townsfolk already agree that it is a very welcome addition to the downtown scene.
Located in the former River Twist Kitchen, beneath and behind Jamestown's one-of-a-kind curio shop, the chronology of how the restaurant came about does seem to indicate that it was meant to be.
“I had been looking for a kitchen for about a year,” said Marcia last Saturday afternoon, taking a break from a steady stream of customers. “I'd given my card to a lady who called me back and told me that River Twist was available. I looked it up in the phone book and Carl (co-owner with wife Jan Galloni) came over and met me and I fell in love with it immediately. That was on, of all dates, Sept. 11, and by Halloween we had it open for business.”
So convinced was Marcia that this was a sound business decision, she signed a three-year lease.
“I honestly feel that this is the place I'm supposed to be,” she smiled. “Carl and Jan have been like angels and the town has embraced me, and I hope I've been treating them the same way. I don't feel like a stranger at all. I feel like a hometown girl.”
Actually, Marcia is almost a hometown girl, having grown up in the shadow of Guilford College, where her father, Douglas Gilmer, spent his entire 47-year career in the food service department of the school.
“I had good cooks on both sides of my family,” she noted, “and even worked some with my dad in the grill room at Guilford. My mom, Carolyn, and Aunt Mildred were excellent cooks, which is why all of them are working here, dad fulltime. Even my granddaughter, Mariah, who turns 11 Sunday, is helping out.”
While food service was always in the back of her mind, Marcia pursued a career in healthcare instead. She was a medical assistant at Moses Cone Family Practice for many years and later at the Greensboro Wellness Center. When that practice closed in 1999, she worked part-time at her husband's shoe repair business in Sedgefield while building up her catering business that she'd started a few years before.
“One of the attractions here is that I can run my catering business and restaurant out of the same kitchen,” she disclosed. “In fact, I have a luau this afternoon and a wedding tomorrow.”
Fresh Manna offers a full menu of sandwiches, soups and salads, ranging from ham and cheese, Philly steak, turkey and cheese, grilled chicken salad, club, BLT, soup of the day, chef salad, etc. and will be expanding it very soon.
“We'll add burgers, Reubens, corn beef and pastrami sandwiches soon and a little later add a seafood salad,” disclosed Marcia. “Eventually I'd like to add a full dinner menu, but right now we've got our hands full with this.”
One of the cozy eatery's primary attractions is that it is open for breakfast.
“We had a line at the door this morning,” revealed the affable restaurateur. “The hot bar offers bacon, sausage, any kind of eggs, grits, shrimp, French toast, fresh biscuits, juice, coffee, all of it home cooked and made fresh.”
Interwoven in the conversation about food, family and the sense of community are Marcia's deeply held beliefs in divine providence.
“God placed this kitchen here for a time such as this and placed me here for a time such as this,” she said sincerely. “It's all divine ordinance, I take none of the credit. This is definitely one of those times only God could have orchestrated.”
Hours are 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Mon.-Fri. and 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday. The restaurant also offers call-in, take-out service by calling 887-0001.
“I want to eventually offer delivery service, too,” she remarked, “but that's down the road. I used to do home delivery, especially to the elderly population, and that's always been gratifying. But first things first.”
Among those first things is their Grand Opening this Saturday, Nov. 21.
“We have this beautiful al fresco dining area and we're going to take advantage of it, even in the winter,” she revealed. “We're going to have a celebration, have some hors d'oeuvres, maybe even a DJ. It will be a very festive atmosphere.
“We have this pizza oven out here and we're going to get an open-pit fireplace and roast some peanuts and marshmallows as it gets cooler. I guarantee you we're going to have a good time here.”
