Nashville Food Tour

Sometimes it's fun to play tourist in your own local area.  That's exactly what I did for a work event with coworkers!  We took a private food tour with Dabble Studio in Germantown and explored a multiple neighborhoods and types of Nashville classic fare.

We started off with hot chicken at the Listening Room Cafe, which moved to SoBro (South of Broadway neighborhood) a couple of years ago.  It's a great music venue, and the food was food too!  I've heard it's the kind of place serious music listeners visit, i.e. don't talk while the music is playing.

Our next stop was East Nashville, to get a bushwacker at 3 Crow Bar.  The bushwacker is the unofficial cocktail of Nashville, but I'd never had one before this tour.  I know, I know... I've lived here for seven years, what gives?  I'd heard that is was like an adult Frosty, and I'm not a chocolate person. But it's a delicious boozy milkshake that everyone should try at least once, and the liquor sneaks up on your fast.

Also in East Nashville, we had a sampler of hot dogs (and soda!) at I Dream of Weenie, probably one of the most Instagrammed spots on that side of town.  I loved the Cheerwine, which is such a Southern thing.

And it wouldn't be Nashville if we didn't stop at a mural for a photo opp!  Seriously, the number of murals in Nashville is insane.  I once did a post about visiting a bunch with my friend B, but now there are so many more... I love Kristin Luna's post about them with so many I haven't visited.

It wouldn't be a Nashville tourist

I had to leave the tour before the final two stops, because I had to get home to pick up Kenny at daycare.  But after I left, they hit up one of the best BBQ joints in town (Martin's Bar-B-Que in Belmont) and got dessert at Colts Chocolates in the Gulch.  Talk about a great way to spend an afternoon!

I'd definitely recommend you check out a food tour if you're coming to Nashville; this one hits so many different neighborhoods (they give you history and trivia along the way) and is a great way to enjoy a taste of Music City.

Out & About: More Places to Eat in Nashville

I have this standing folder of food photos that I've been saving for one of these "where I've been eating" posts, so I'm back with another roundup!  (Click here for more posts about where to eat in Nashville, and where to eat in Franklin.)

My last "Out & About" post was Williamson County-focused, so this time I'm taking you up into the city... Nashvegas Nashville!

Martin's Bar-B-Que Joint - Downtown
I've been to what I believe was the first Martin's in Nolensville, but recently I found myself at the location downtown for a work function.  The downtown location often has a line out the door, but there is a TON of space... just head upstairs!  I was happy to see plenty of local craft beers on tap.

We ordered a ton of appetizers, so I didn't want to get TOO much food as my entree.  One of my favorite meals (I know, it's not traditional BBQ, whatever, it's on the menu everywhere) is a baked potato with BBQ on top of it!  Yum.  The one thing that makes Martin's a little different is that their sauce is on the runny side.  More vinegar than molasses, perhaps!  It's definitely one of the best BBQ spots in Nashville, along with Edley's and Peg Leg Porker.  Nashville isn't a BBQ destination (Memphis is more so) but you can find some good stuff here.

The Southern - Downtown

I've dined at The Southern a few times, I think always for work!  It used to be the only place downtown that I really recommended that people eat, because for a while that area was lacking.  Now, there's plenty of upscale and foodie spots there too!  Once again, I ate a bunch of appetizers...  I love their friend green tomatoes, steak biscuits, and crab cakes.  For supper, I enjoyed a small steak, though I was so stuffed that I could barely finish it!

For large groups, they'll work out a pre-set menu.  So that means dessert is included!  The bread pudding was so heavy, but tasty.  You should definitely split dessert with someone, as the portions throughout are huge.  It's a nice, busy place near downtown with guaranteed good eats.

Tavern - Midtown

I heard that Tavern is where the cool kids hang.  It was the only M Street restaurant concept that I hadn't visited, minus their Rosewall venue and their private Citizen club.  My friend B and I went to brunch at Tavern before we went to the ballet.  The wait was like two hours, naturally, because everywhere the young people want to eat is like that.  But we knew that you can sidle up to a bar seat first-come, first-served, so that's what we did.  The lower bar was crowded, but we found seats easily at the upper bar area, which serves a full menu.  I had the pain perdu, which was basically as if French toast and s'mores had a baby.  I'm not sure if I'd go back, given the hipster tax (long wait plus pricey food) but it was yummy!

Rosééééééééééééé all day!

Umami - Lenox Village

Lenox Village is a bit off the Nashville path, but it's a popular little area with a lot of nice shops and restaurants.  Umami is just around the corner from Burger Republic, and I went there with my friend P for lunch on a weekend.  My friend J had recommended it, especially because they have Korean food!

I had some tamago sushi, which I typically love.  This one wasn't the best I've tasted, but not bad.  It's hard to find good tamago in the middle of the U.S. in general.  I think I like a bit more mirin and soy sauce.

The Korean beef tacos were DELICIOUS.  I really need to get back to try some of their Korean fried chicken and other dishes.  It's possibly a little easier for me to get to Lenox than Antioch for Korean food, and it definitely had a nice Korean vibe to the whole place. (K-pop videos on TV, Korean families gathering, always good signs!)  I'll definitely be back to Umami.

Where have you been eating (or drinking) lately?

Out & About: More Local Eats

I have this standing folder of food photos that I've been saving for one of these "where I've been eating" posts, so I'm back with another roundup!  (Click here for more posts about where to eat in Nashville, and where to eat in Franklin.)

Today's roundup is all Williamson County!  Brentwood, Cool Springs, and Franklin are where I spend most of my time.  While chain restaurants are prolific, there's a ton of delicious bites throughout.   You're in for a treat, I've got a lot to share in this post!

Holler & Dash - Brentwood
Hello, biscuit sandwiches!  I really want to get back to this spot in Brentwood to try some of their tater tots.  The whole area around the restaurant is just booming, and it didn't even exist when I moved here.  Check out my full recap of my visit to Holler & Dash.

Del Frisco's Grille - Brentwood
Del Frisco's Grille is right across the way from Holler & Dash.  Their menu isn't cheap, but the food is good!  I went with a friend for lunch, and we found the best thing to do was to share a few things.  We had the wild mushroom flatbread, spicy guacamole, and ahi tacos.  I think the flatbread was my favorite.  Del Frisco's seems like a great place for a girls' night or happy hour.

Soy Teriyaki Bistro - Brentwood
While I maintain the best Korean food in Nashville is mostly in the Antioch area, Soy Teriyaki Bistro brings it much closer to home for me!  The first time I went there, years ago, there wasn't a ton of Korean food on the menu.  But now, I feel like Korean food is on trend and they're really letting their menu expand in a great way!  The fried rice is delicious, and you can even get bibimbap.

Drake's - Cool Springs

Drake's is a perennial favorite for happy hour for my coworkers.  It's always packed!  While I think the seating arrangements leave a lot to be desired (not super flexible for groups, especially the rigid booths in the back), they do have a big menu, including sushi!  Some might be wary ordering sushi at what seems to be a sports bar, but they do a really great job at it.  They also have killer tater tots.  I like that you can dine in the front bar area almost like a covered patio when the weather is nice.

Yats - Cool Springs
Yats, next to the UPS Store in Cool Springs, was on my list for ages before I actually got to try it.  My buddy and I had the jambalaya and the drunken chicken, served with their garlicky bread.  The portions were HUGE!  What we didn't know at the time is that we could have ordered two entrees half-and-half for variety.  It was packed with flavor and spices!  I'll be back when I'm looking for a meal that packs a punch.

Cool Cafe - Franklin
Cool Cafe is the best meat and three in Franklin, in my book!  Meat and three is something I'd never heard of until I moved to Tennessee.  A meat and three restaurant is one where the customer picks one meat from a daily selection of three to six choices (such as fried chicken, country ham, beef, country-fried steak, meatloaf, or pork chop) and three side dishes.  It's usually served with cornbread.  Cool Cafe is one of my husband's favorite spots in town!  I try not to eat there too often, because I feel so stuffed that I need a nap afterwards.

Cork & Cow - Franklin
Looking for a fancy steak dinner in Franklin?  Cork & Cow has delicious food and a fantastic cocktail hour.  It is a dinner-only restaurant.  When my in-laws came to town, I wanted to go someplace for a nice group supper, this is where I made a reservation.  It's from the same restaurant group as Red Pony Restaurant, where we had our wedding dinner.  I had one of their steak specials, and the spicy butter on my steak was absolutely killer.

Leiper's Fork Distillery - Franklin

Technically, Leiper's Fork is in Franklin, so I included it here.  When my sister-in-law was in town, we went to do a tour and tasting at the new Leiper's Fork Distillery.  I'm not a whiskey or bourbon drinker, but I was definitely surprised by how similar it is to making beer in some ways.  I also learned how to properly taste and smell it.  I think it's a great place to visit and tour if you're interested in learning!

Where have you been eating (or drinking) lately?

Holler & Dash: Biscuits and Brews

I'd been meaning to get up to Brentwood to try Holler & Dash, a biscuit house concept from the folks who blessed us with Cracker Barrel.  (Note: I have a childhood nostalgia for Cracker Barrel, and it's one of the few places Dan will eat while we're on road trips.)  So when I got invited to a special happy hour (beer and biscuits, y'all!), I grabbed my friend M and headed up there after work.

First off, Holler & Dash has their interior design on point.  It's not a country general store, it's a modern, subway-tiled, wooden, metal, hipster-friendly but also beautiful space.  I love that they have a merchandise area with locally specific things like sauces, coffee, chocolates, and jams.  It makes every restaurant feel less like a chain (there are currently four Holler & Dash restaurants, with more on the way) and more like a local fast casual spot.

While the restaurant is currently focused on breakfast and lunch hours, I think the happy hour concept worked really well during our visit!  We were able to taste local craft brews (and some regional like from Alabama) and some great craft sodas.  Again, they did a great job of incorporating local elements while creating something accessible and delicious.

We had three mini versions of their signature biscuit sandwiches:

1. Chicken Set Go, with fried chicken, pimento cheese, jalapeno, sorghum
2. Pork Rambler, with fried pork tenderloin, blackberry butter, fried onion straws
3. Kickback Chicken, with fried chicken, goat cheese, green onion, sweet pepper jelly with a kick

Full sized biscuits normally run $6-9 depending on the item, and you can even get them on kale or half a biscuit as a healthier option.  The biscuits themselves were sooooo good, and I loved the different flavor combos.  I don't love goat cheese, but the Kickback Chicken ended up being our favorite.  The cheese was mild, and in combination with everything else it was totally delish.  M and I both agreed that we'd love to come back and try their tater tot bowl, because it sounds right up our alley too.  I also enjoyed the craft soda, especially if you're craving something on the sweet side.

All in all, I'll definitely back for some fast casual biscuits in Brentwood... it's just an easy pick (with free parking) and they're putting in my favorite ice cream across the street.  Gosh, I love Tennessee!

Thank you to Holler & Dash for sponsoring this event and inviting me!

Tànsuŏ

Dan and I aren't usually at the forefront of getting to new restaurants.  We live south of Nashville, so driving up to the city involves a bit of planning.  But Tànsuŏ, the new restaurant concept from Maneet Chauhan and Chris Cheung, opened just a month ago, and its Chinese-American fusion of cuisine really enticed me.  I snagged a reservation on OpenTable, and we were off!  (Full disclosure: my husband is employed by a brewery that is backed by Maneet, but he has no sway in how I express myself in social media... I'm all about transparency!)

The restaurant exterior is pretty subtle; you'll see the valet before you notice it, probably.  It's right next door to Chauhan Ale & Masala House.  The decor of the place really struck me.  It had Asian lotus and abacus-inspired elements.  A couple of people on Yelp have found this to look cheesy, but honestly I found the overall vibe to be very sexy.  The size of the restaurant struck me too!  We were seated in a big, beautiful blue booth.

Our server recommended that we share two dim sum and an entree, but we didn't listen, and we ended up taking leftovers home!  Two dim sum and an entree is PERFECT for two people.  Everything is made to be shared, so I would listen to the server... they know what's up.

The fire cracker spring rolls were definitely worth ordering!  I loved the sauce that came with them.  They are very small, but packed with flavor and beef short rib meat.  We also had the toishan sui mai, pork dumplings with salted fish and soy sauce.  I was worried it would have a fishy flavor, but it was very tasty.  It's not the greatest dim sum dumpling I've ever had, but definitely yummy.  I would pick the spring rolls over the sui mai if I had to choose.  I wish they had soup dumplings and more dim sum like Din Tai Fung, which I can only get on the West Coast.

Fire Cracker Spring Rolls

Toishan Sui Mai

The two entrees that we ordered were of ample sharing size.  The peking pork chops could have fed three people, I'd say!  We also had the General Tso's chicken.  I was really torn wanted to try some of their rice dishes too, and I found that there were enough things on the menu that I want to try to merit coming back again.  Both dishes were saucy, crunchy, juicy...  my husband detests leftovers, but with this stuff he was asking for a doggy bag to take to work the next day!

Peking Pork Chops

General Tso's Chicken

I really enjoyed our meal at Tànsuŏ.  I left feeling full to the max, and the drinks were good to boot.  The wine list is carefully matched to the cuisine, as most places should do!  Husband enjoyed some Lagavulin too.  I think that people who are seeking "authentic" Chinese or dim sum will be disappointed in this place, the same way those seeking "authentic" Indian cuisine found Chauhan Ale & Masala house to be polarizing.  Same for those who think these types of cuisine should be inexpensive and not high-end experiences.

But as a half-Korean half-American girl, I have a passion for fusion and inspired flavors.  I love seeing people take a riff on flavors that they've come to love or grew up eating.  I think Chef Cheung has brought his NYC Chinatown upbringing to life in an delicious, upscale, sexy way.  There's a place in this world for authentic Chinese food, Panda Express, and Tànsuŏ, without cognitive dissonance.  Disagree with me if you wish, but I think this is what makes America's restaurant scene so tasty.

The Chef & I

A couple of former coworkers have been mentioning The Chef & I as a wonderful restaurant.  I'd eaten their food at catered events, but never visited their restaurant in Lenox Village.  Then I found out they have cooking classes for $75 per person, which includes a multi-course meal.  My friend B and I have been looking to bring some more fun to our girls' nights, so we signed up for a Nashville Brunch themed cooking class.

It was a dark and stormy night, no joke.  Brooke and I were the only students on that night, so we got a private lesson from Chef Liz, along with some delicious dinner.  Some of their other classes, especially knife skills, sell out very quickly, FYI!

The first dish we made was a sweet potato and veggie hash, with eggs to boot.  It was a good exercise in dicing!  I loved all of the colors from the veggies, and we definitely learned a thing or two.  I'm planning to make this dish again, when I have houseguests!

Sweet potato and veggie hash

I grated cheese for the next dish, shrimp and grits (cheesy grits!) and we ate some of the veggie hash as a first course.  While we ate, Chef Liz prepped the shrimp and grits, while we watched and took some notes.  I'm not the biggest fan of grits, but these tasted soooooo good with all the grated Havarti in there.  The shrimp had smoked paprika, and they were very flavorful.

Shrimp & Cheesy Grits

Our last dish was Nashville hot chicken and cornbread skillet cakes.  You can also make cornbread waffles with this one, if you have a waffle maker!  I love hot chicken, but I have always been too scared to fry chicken at home.  I guess it's the idea of hot oil that freaks me out.  So Chef Liz helped me season the chicken (we did half hot and half not), bread it, and fry it up like a champ.  (Note the chef's coat I got to wear, like a boss.)  I have to admit, it was a little intimidating, but ultimately we had some great chicken!

I loved the spicy plus sweet flavor once we added the syrup to the pancake.  Yum yum yum.  I was a little rough handling the chicken, so some of the breading came off, but such is life.  Still tasty.

The Chef & I also has a limited number of seats at the kitchen bar open when they serve dinner, so you can watch them make your food.  But I love getting hands-on experience, so the cooking class was absolutely perfect.  I'll go back to eat there someday, but I also want to keep up with their calendar of cooking classes, so I can learn as I indulge.

Out & About: Where I'm Eating in Nashville

I have this standing folder of food photos that I've been saving for one of these "where I've been eating" posts, so I'm back with another roundup!  (Click here for more posts about where to eat in Nashville, and where to eat in Franklin.)

The Family Wash - East Nashville
The Family Wash was on my radar from Instagram and other things, so when my boss asked us to pick a place for a weekday brunch together, it made the cut!  It was a Monday, so a tough day to find open restaurants, especially with breakfast.  Family Wash serves breakfast all day and night, and they have a ton of options!  The place has a garage vibe that is really hipster and eclectic, and the bar and band areas look very cool.  I'd love to come back for an evening visit, as my pancakes were delicious.  My one complaint was that the blueberries weren't mixed into the pancakes... I'm used to blueberry pancakes as one thing, and the berries as a topping surprised me.  But it was still yummy, and the service was pretty good.

Burger Republic - Gulch

We've been fans of Burger Republic since 2013, and we also love their location in the Gulch!  I felt like it was worth mentioning here, because it's still good.  We had a giftcard and enjoyed ourselves a lot when we visited.

Sun Diner - Downtown

I was staying downtown for work, and I needed to grab lunch before a meeting.  I walked into Sun Diner, a pretty new spot at the time, because there aren't a ton of restaurants downtown with awesome reviews.  This one looked intriguing.  I loved the decor and layout!  Really fitting for Music City.

The food was pretty good.  I had a breakfast burrito.  The potatoes surprised me because there were sweet ones in the mix, but not bad.  I got the wrong tea from my server, but it was corrected pretty easily.  My one complaint is that I had to pay at the register, which is located by the door, and there just isn't much space there.  Overall, I'd say this is a safe bet when you're downtown, and I think it would taste even better at 3am.  After all, it's a 24-hour diner!

Bearded Iris - Germantown

On the brewery front, Dan and I visited Bearded Iris for an alumni party I was attending.  They don't serve food, but they have this really cool industrial meets vintage taproom area that's worth a visit. And there's free parking!

Americano - Midtown

My friend VG and I had a tapas feast at Americano.  First off, I loved that there was a free parking lot behind the restaurant, which is rare for restaurants in Nashville anymore.  The restaurant wasn't busy (another Monday) but we had great service and really enjoyed our visit.  We ordered...

Spicy Tuna Guacamole and Croquettas

Fried Manchego Cheese

Seared Duck Breast

Hot Chicken Tacos and Potato Bravas

Overall, the spicy tuna guacamole is what would bring me back.  I wish the potatoes had been crispier, but we ate until we were stuffed anyways.  It was really a delicious meal, and now I understand why the reviews on Yelp are so good!  Oh, and the caipirinha I had was delish too.  I'd come back to Americano to drink and munch on tapas with friends.   The best food is eaten shared like that!

Where have you been eating lately?

Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse Nashville

My coworkers in Cincinnati (and coworkers who have traveled to Cincy) have mentioned Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse to me, and then one of my friends mentioned there was a new one in Nashville.  Dan loves steak, so when I got tickets to the Nutcracker by the Nashville Ballet, I bribed him with steak.

Firstly, if you're attending a show at TPAC, this place is PERFECT.  You can valet your car, validate it with your meal, and leave the car while you walk two short blocks to the show.  Winner-winner!  The entire place is totally upscale, and I highly recommend securing a reservation.  There's a bar area, in addition to the restaurant.  The decor is bold, and the restrooms are really cool.  I love that each of the ladies stalls have their own sinks in them, like a mini bathroom of their own.  Loads of supplies, flossers, etc. too.

Jeff Ruby's is a white-tablecloth, impeccably serviced, top notch steakhouse.  The prices are expensive, but not obscene for a high-calibre steak joint.  We ordered a bottle of wine.  The list was extensive, and the cocktail menu was good too.  Dan had a post-dinner Manhattan that he liked a lot too.

Sorry for the dim lighting photos.

As we waited for our steaks, they brought out hot bread and two types of butter, artfully arranged on a dish with the Jeff Ruby emblem.  Dan loved the butter with truffles.

For dinner, I went with my standard filet mignon.  We had shared sides of macaroni and cheese and the truffled cream corn.  Everything was delicious, and the portions were generous.  In a rare occurrence for me, I actually thought the corn was even better than the signature macaroni.  They also have a sushi menu and dessert menu, but we were entirely too full to enjoy another bite!  Dan isn't a big leftovers guy, but he was thrilled when the server arranged for us to have ours packed up and stored in the walk-in while we went to our show.  When we retrieved them, they were in a beautiful reusable tote bag (great marketing!) and brought to us with gratitude for visiting the restaurant.  All in all, the service was one of the highlights of the visit (I believe our server's name was AJ... shoutout!) and it's the reason we'd come back again for fantastic steaks.  I think I prefer it to Bob's at the Omni, but on par with Kayne Prime.  It just depends on what experience you want.

There's also live entertainment in the restaurant, so if you're looking for quiet romance, this isn't the place.  It's more of a fun night out before a show, splurge date kind of thing.  (If you're looking for a quiet, romantic steakhouse in Nashville, check out my review of The Standard, or if you're looking for a more modern steakhouse, check out my visit to Kayne Prime.)

We were all dressed up for the ballet, too... and I failed to get a good couple photo minus this selfie.  Sigh.  But we cleaned up nicely.

What's your favorite steakhouse?