The Acorn

Last night, we officially started our alphabedible adventure at The Acorn restaurant—a classy, but laid back, eatery rich with Southern hospitality and heritage at the edge of Centennial Park on West End Avenue.

As we walked past the fountain and garden in front of the freestanding home-like structure and into the front door, it was obvious we were in for a treat. We were warmly greeted by our hostess, who asked our preference of indoor or outdoor seating. The night was cool with a slight breeze, so we choose the second floor patio after noticing several diners already enjoying an al fresco evening. Once we walked up the stairs—passing several colorful canvas paintings hung on the walls and two cozy bar areas—to the outside seating area, the hostess offered us the table of our choice.

The patio was simple yet gorgeous and had a view of West End Ave (while Ben noted that patio with a downtown view would make this the ultimate restaurant seating). The lights strung from the ceiling offered the perfect amount of illumination for the evening. We were immediately greeted by our waiter, who filled our glasses with water and waited nearby as we perused the weekly changing menu. His recommendation was the chorizo and potato crusted halibut, which he explained was their signature item that had been on their menu for six years. But when asked why he liked the dish our somewhat timid waiter he couldn’t give us a reason.... Our entrée decision-making continued.

Being the wine lovers that we are, we each started with a glass off the extensive list. Our choices for the night were the Lonely Cow Sauvignon Blanc (Tracy) and Montes Cabernet Sauvignon (Ben).

Despite not heeding the waiter on his first recommendation, we did take him up on his second—the calamari appetizer. The lightly breaded rings sat atop a “green goddess” dressing (a creamy/herby dipping sauce) and were sprinkled with salty nicoise olives and sweet peppadew peppers, which balanced each other out perfectly. Along with our appetizer, the waiter presented the most creative reuse of a cigar box we've seen. It was filled with warm slices of sourdough, a mini baguette and a raisin roll accompanied by butter and an olive oil/balsamic vinegar combination.

We sipped our wine and enjoyed our appetizer while we waited for our main course to arrive.

Tracy’s Order:

Grilled Filet of Beef

Toasted Sally Lunn Bread, roasted Mushrooms,

Bacon braised Onions, and sweet Garlic demi glace

Ben’s Order:

Grilled Sea Scallops

Baby Arugula Salad, roasted New Potatoes, and Sun-dried Tomato,

Pine Nut, and Sultana demi glace

Our dishes arrived and the presentation took our breath away. The filet was perfectly cooked and sandwiched between roasted mushrooms and demi glace-soaked bread. The scallop dish was equally beautiful, with four large, slightly spicy scallops arranged around potatoes that offered a contrasting texture. We hardly spoke while we devoured our meals but of course managed to ask each other for a taste. To say that we were impressed would be an understatement.

Soon it was time to order dessert. Everything looked delicious but we decided to go with Ben’s favorite dessert, Crème Brule. The classic dessert was served as usual with a torched sugar shell. It was definitely the most ordinary part of our meal. We were a little unhappy with the dish our dessert was served in. Our preference is that crème brulee to be served in a shallow dish (for a better crust to custard ratio), but this one was served in a deep ramekin. It tasted good, but it was nothing special.

Overall, The Acorn offered fantastic food, warm service in a quaint space. While you definitely get what you pay for (we spent just under $60 each with tax and tip), the younger crowd (i.e. those with less income such as ourselves!) might make The Acorn a “special occasion place instead of a regular staple. Guess that gives us something to work towards!

Pros: Patio, friendly staff, delicious entrees, new menu items at every visit

Cons: Awkward waiter, ordinary dessert

Price: $$$

Location: Prime space in the heart of Nashville

Food Quality: Excellent, fresh ingredients, creative presentation

Drink Quality: Extensive wine list and martini menu

Service: Great hostess, quirky but competent waiter

Ambiance: Great for a date or business dinner

Check back soon to find out what our B will be!