Alphabedible Adventures

Jimmy Kelly's Steakhouse

2010-04-04T14:31:00.009-05:00

During the 2010 Restaurant Week, Tracy was fortunate enough to get reservations at Jimmy Kelly’s along with her good friend Tyler. This was quite a feat since the restaurants participating in Restaurant Week were booked solid for the entire week. It must have been meant to be that we were able to sample some of the best food that Jimmy Kelly's has to offer. Tracy was definitely left wanting more. Tyler suggested that she and Brian come back for their “J’ restaurant. So, Tyler, this post is dedicated to you!

It was 8:25 PM and Tracy was rushing to make the 8:30 reservation. Suddenly, she realized that she had no idea where she was (an often occurrence). She called Brian to figure out where Jimmy Kelly’s was. His response, “I’m not quite sure,” was very reassuring. While we were trying to get our bearings, Tracy turned a corner and almost smacked right into Brian’s car! It turned out that we were lost in the same place! While on the phone, we winded through back roads until we were where we were supposed to be, Jimmy Kelly’s Steakhouse. Turns out it is one block off of Elliston, just north of Café Coco.

Jimmy Kelly’s has been serving some of the finest steaks in Nashville for over 75 years. As we walked up the steps under the awning, it felt as if we were about to enter an historical landmark. On any given night you can find the who’s who of Tennessee having dinner, or sitting at the bar with Mike Kelly himself!

This week we were joined by two of Tracy’s great friends, Melanie and Jamie. They had already eaten but came to keep us company. Our waiter came by as soon as we were seated with a charismatic welcome. He took our drink orders - scotch for Brian and a cosmopolitan for Tracy - and left to give us a chance to peruse the menu. Melanie, a regular at Jimmy Kelly’s, was happy to give us suggestions, while our waiter brought out a plate of their famous corncakes with butter. Delicious! The four of us downed an entire plate before we ever placed our order.

The waiter recommended the fried gulf oysters as an appetizer. Unfortunately, they never arrived. Luckily we were too involved in our corn cakes to notice. In fact, we didn’t even realize our lack of an appetizer until a couple of days later when Tracy was describing the meal to her mom! We definitely won’t hold it against the restaurant since we obviously both forgot about it!

For her meal, Tracy ordered the half fillet with a house salad ($19.75). The fillet came with a choice of baked potato or fries. Tracy chose the baked potato. Her steak came out perfectly cooked and her potato steaming with a side of sour cream. Nothing fancy, just a leafy garnish. That is definitely the restaurant’s appeal; you can expect your meal to be just that, with no smoke and mirrors.

Brian, always indecisive, chose to go with the mixed grill - a combination of half filet, salmon and jumbo shrimp - seasoned to perfection and garnished with greens and a half lemon. The kitchen must have run short on shrimp because two lobster tails found their way onto Brian's plate. It felt like drawing the "Bank error in your favor" card from the Community Chest pile in Monopoly. Every bite of steak was tender and juicy, melting in Brian's mouth. The lobster tails were fresh and delicious and the salmon topped with seasonal butter flaked loosely to the touch. Steak fries were the perfect accoutrement to the, well…steak!

For dessert, our waiter rattled off the choices but as soon as we heard “blackberry” we were sold. The Tennesse Blackberry Cobler, “Fresh Tennessee blackberries topped with French Vanilla Ice Cream” ($7.75) arrived at our table with two spoons. Brian told the waiter it was one spoon too many. He definitely wanted it all to himself! Quite possibly the best dessert the alphabunch has seen thus far, the blackberry’s seemed fresh picked and the ice cream didn’t stand a chance on the piping hot, homemade, buttery crust.

With a myriad of fancy restaurants in town one-uping one another, garnishing their steaks with one extravagant ingredient after the next until they ultimately overpower the flavor of the steak, it was incredibly refreshing to dine at a white tablecloth restaurant where the steak itself was the star of the plate. As good friends often do, we shut down the restaurant and were the last to leave. As we walked out of the dining room, we were met by none other than Mike Kelly, who made sure we were satisfied with our meal. Now that’s what we call great service! It is clear that Jimmy Kelly’s is one of the gems of Nashville restaurants.

Pros: Small town atmosphere, service with a great big smile! Valet parking

Cons: Appetizer mix-up

Location: Louise Ave. off of West End.

Food Quality: Simply delicious

Drink Quality: Strong, proceed with caution!

Service: Genuine eagerness and attention.

Ambiance: Friendly and upscale, great for people watching.

"K"an't wait for "K!"

The International Market

2010-03-10T15:55:00.014-06:00

The best thing about dinner this week is that we didn’t have to choose the restaurant! Thanks to everyone who voted, we appreciate your support. The International Market & Restaurant won with 50% of the votes.

As we walked into the restaurant, the first thing Tracy noticed was the incredible smell. The first thing Brian noticed was the tea. The International Market & Restaurant is half Asian restaurant and half Asian market. Brian looked like a kid in a candy store as he smelled all of the tea for sale and picked his favorite. Tracy couldn’t wait to see where her nose would lead her as she made her way towards the food. The food is served cafeteria style in the back of the restaurant. Everything is in front of you, which makes it very easy to pick what you want (or extremely difficult if you are of the indecisive persuasion).

Tracy went for the fried rice to start. It looked delicious and fluffy, and not dry and sticky like you would find in a food court. It tasted just as good as it looked. The sweet corn was the perfect ingredient and made the rice sweet and savory all at the same time. Tracy followed a rice trend and chose rice noodles with broccoli as her second item. With a little soy and chili sauces, this dish was satisfying and so tasty that she had to fight the urge to go back for seconds! Luckily, she also ordered an egg roll, the staple of a Chinese meal. It was definitely the lowest point of the meal, but in no way bad. Tracy would be happy to recommend all of these dishes to anyone. All together, the meal was around $6.

Brian also started with a base of the fried rice accompanied by hearty portions of spicy beef with bamboo shoots and chicken with mushrooms. The fried rice was tremendous. Were it not for the consistency, Brian could have closed his eyes and been certain he was eating the sweet cornbread of his childhood. Either way, rice or cornbread, he was guaranteed to have something on his shirt after the first bite. Thank goodness for the plentiful corn and peas, otherwise his choices would have been severely lacking in color. The beef had just the right amount of spice and tangy flavor. It wasn't stringy like you might experience from cheap takeout. What was interesting was that The International Market used jalapenos to accompany the red pepper flakes- not customary in Asian cuisine. The chicken was as good as the beef, with plump white meat pieces and two-dozen perfectly cooked mushrooms and sweet onions. To wash it all down, Brian finally had the sweet tea he had been craving since last week, a traditional black and green blend with jasmine.

For dessert, Tracy picked out the rice pudding. There were four small servings, which she decided to have heated. After Brian burned the roof of his mouth on the first bite, the flan-like consistency of the pudding was comforting, as was the taste of the sweet confection. It was a reasonably priced, very satisfying meal. Brian even got a tin of loose leaf jasmine tea to steep at home and the whole thing cost a little over $14.

The International Market & Restaurant is a delicious cornerstone of the Belmont area. It is often overlooked due to the trendy restaurant growth across the street but will definitely never be again by these two writers! REAL Chinese food is often hard to find in the south but The International Market is authentic, affordable and absolutely amazing!

Pros: Free refills on tea, Restaurant and market in one, casual

Cons: Sometimes parking can get a little tough, parallel knowledge is a must!

Price: $ An Alphabedible record!

Location: Belmont Boulevard right off Belmont’s campus

Food Quality: Excellent, authentic

Drink Quality: Assorted teas were delicious

Service: Friendly Buffet

Ambiance: Casual and fun for friends to catch up

We're "j"umping for "j"oy "j"ust thinking about next week!

Hog Heaven

2010-02-25T22:12:00.011-06:00

If you are like us, you have lived in Nashville for many years and have driven through centennial park countless times. You have also passed by a little shack with a painting of a pig on it and have thought every time, “I wonder if that place is any good.” When we reached the letter “H” and noticed how many followers suggested it, we knew it was finally time to try Hog Heaven.

It must be said that the 10 AM-7 PM hours of Hog Heaven are not very favorable for dinner, especially if you are commuting from Brentwood (Brian). We arrived at 6:50 PM, just 10 minutes before closing time. Suffice it to say, our food was probably served from the bottom of the barrel. With that said, here is our opinion of the meal we were served, but since so many people we know love Hog Heaven, we refuse to believe that our experience was the norm.

As we sped up the street toward the restaurant we were praying that they hadn’t closed early, and we were happy to see that the metal gate at the entrance was still open. The building is not exactly impressive – cinder blocks and chain link fence welcome you to a dining room of weathered wooden benches, exposed to the elements. We are strong believers that some of the best restaurants are the “hole-in-the-walls” so the appearance didn’t throw us off one bit. We did decide that due to the cold weather, we would be eating in the car! The menu is posted next to their ordering window and once we figured out what we wanted, we ordered and paid.

Tracy went for her barbeque staple, the pulled pork sandwich with slaw ($2.38). She also ordered the potato salad and green bean sides ($1.29 each) because a barbeque joint is only as good as its sides! The biggest complaint Tracy had about her sandwich was its temperature. It was lukewarm at best and clearly not the best of pulls from the pig. The sides were a little on the small side but Tracy liked the spice of the green beans and the mustard based potato salad.

Brian ordered the pork platter ($6.99), which comes with a cornbread pancake and two sides. How could he go wrong with baked beans and macaroni and cheese, the vegetable special of the day? Unfortunately, the pork was a little cold and watery. The baked beans had a unique, peppery flavor. The macaroni and cheese, probably scrumptious when first pulled from the oven, had begun to clump (as anyone who has come home to a half-eaten pot can tell you). The real disappointment of the night, however, was the sweet tea. Either they got confused behind the counter and poured a glass from the wrong pitcher, or they need an introduction to good ol’ brown sugar and molasses.

I guess you could say we were a little under whelmed by our dinner, especially after we heard so many good things about it. Needless to say, we were ready for something sweet to turn our night around. In all the rush we completely forgot to order any at Hog Heaven, so we drove a few blocks east on West End until we arrived at the first local “H” we saw, The Hutton Hotel’s trendy 1808 Grille (We know, it’s a bit of a stretch, but go with it!). We knew we were in for a unique experience as the steps leading up to the restaurant from the valet stand were positioned on an angle – perfect for those with high heels or a small gait. As we walked in, we were warmly greeted by the host who made sure to find us a nice table despite the packed bar and dining room and even checked in with us a couple of times during our dessert. We could tell that this was definitely a place to see and be seen.

After taking in the atmosphere we both got to pick one of the small dessert plates to share. A half dozen banana beignets ($5) were served in a brown paper bag. A quick shake at the table and they were covered in powdered sugar. They were more like bananas in a blanket than true beignets, but whatever their shape and style, they were delicious, especially when dipped in the hazelnut crème anglaise dipping sauce. As a sweet addition to our beignets, we ordered the assorted chocolate truffles ($5). Two each of three truffle flavors (heath, cocoa, feuilletine) were the just the amount of chocolate we needed to make our dessert perfect.

Our night was saved by dessert at the Hutton Hotel. We may have to go back for dinner before we finish the alphabet. We plan on revisiting Hog Heaven for lunch and hope barbeque bliss will, one day, be ours.

Pros: Price, laid-back atmosphere, perfect for a picnic in the park

Cons: Hours, ill equipped for inclement weather

Price: $

Location: Centennial Park

Food Quality: Average, scraps

Drink Quality: Tea wasn’t sweet as ordered

Service: Quick and painless

Ambiance: Tracy’s car was very warm and cozy!

Please help us pick our next restaurant adventure by voting on our "I" poll at the top of the page!

Garden Brunch Café

2010-02-15T19:23:00.012-06:00

First of all, we would like to send a special welcome to our new followers on Twitter. We hope you enjoy what you read as much as we enjoyed writing it. And we hope our blog will help you answer the ever so frustrating question, “Where should we go to eat?” We were overwhelmed by all of your “G” restaurant suggestions and would like to give honorable mentions to The Germantown Café and Gabby’s Burgers and Fries. As delicious as they are, it is our goal to go to restaurants that we have never visited and we finally found one that fit the bill.

On that note, welcome to Alphabedible Adventures: The Brunch Edition!

Brian is actually responsible for finding our “G” restaurant this week thanks to suggestions from a credit card rewards website. The Garden Brunch Café is located on Jefferson Street near Rosa Parks in north Nashville right outside of MetroCenter. It’s a cute converted home sandwiched between a muffler shop and a Popeye’s Chicken. The interior is colorful and refined with an “urban” vibe. The walls are covered with beautiful paintings and photographs for sale. There is even a mic stand in the corner for the occasional performance of jazz music and spoken word.

At least three servers and managers immediately welcomed us and they made sure our table was in perfect condition before they invited us to sit down. Our waiter, Justin, informed us that we were in for a treat when we let him know that we were first time visitors. He seemed genuinely happy to serve us. He took our drink orders and left us with a breakfast menu and a lunch menu. Tracy’s coffee came in a very contemporary mug and she loved the beaker looking glass that the cream came in so much that she had to take a picture. Brian’s fruit tea tasted just as delicious as it looked. We had fun trying to guess what fruits were concocted to make this tasty beverage. To keep you from losing sleep, it turned out to be cranberry, orange, and mango juices.

The menus were not overwhelming, but there was a decent selection to choose from. We found it refreshing and had a much easier time deciding. The lunch menu was somewhat limited with a few salads and mix-and-match paninis. We both decided to focus on the breakfast menu, which seemed to be the other patrons’ preference as well. Who doesn’t love breakfast at any time of the day?

Tracy’s love for eggs benedict made her decision very easy. She went with the Germantown West Benny, which consisted of, “Two over easy eggs, topped with smoked salmon, sautéed spinach, cherry tomatoes,  onions, hollandaise sauce and capers on an English muffin.” After she devoured her eggs benedict, practically in one bite (minus the bite she gave to Brian), she realized that she never really tasted the smoked salmon or the spinach… or the onions or the capers for that matter! But it was too late; she had already finished her meal. After inquiring, we did find out that Justin accidentally put the order in for their Jefferson Street Benny, “an English muffin topped with two over medium eggs, topped with turkey bacon, and cheddar cheese.” She enjoyed the Jefferson, but can’t wait to go back and try the Germantown.

Brian, notorious for his indecision, was debating between the Pumpkin Pancakes and the Original Breakfast. Tracy nudged and nagged until he picked the more unique and daring pancakes “sweet memories of grandma’s pumpkin pie, warm spiced and topped with whipped cream”. At least they came with turkey sausage to satisfy his inner carnivore. The pancakes were warm and fluffy and real whipped cream made it seem more like dessert than breakfast. Pumpkin is probably the ideal "comfort" flavor for chilly weather and three pancakes was the perfect portion for the midday meal. Brian definitely wants to go back to try the Bananas Foster Pancakes next time.

We hardly spoke through our meal except to say, “can I have a bite of that,” in between mouthfuls. We took that to mean that we enjoyed our brunch more than words could say! We both have plans to return as soon as possible. Want to come with?!

Pros: Ambiance, Service, Fruit Tea
Cons: Limited Lunch Selection, Limited Parking (in the back)

-Price: $
-Location: Jefferson Street in North Nashville
-Food Quality: Absolutely delicious!
-Drink Quality: Tons of tasty options
-Service: Attentive and with a smile.
-Ambiance: Warm and welcoming. We could have stayed all day!

"H"appy Eating!!

Firefly Grille

2010-02-09T21:36:00.011-06:00

For those of you who follow us on Twitter, we apologize for the tease. We very much enjoyed Fiesta Azteca but learned after dining that they have a second location in Georgia. If you’ve been with us since the beginning, you know that we only blog about restaurants unique to Nashville, so although we very much enjoyed our meal and recommend it, we felt it only right to stick to the rules.

So tonight we ventured to Green Hills and a neighborhood favorite called the Firefly Grille. We’ve been spoiled dining mid-week and were caught off-guard when we called ahead for a table and were told it would be at least an hour and half before we could be seated. But Firefly was so worth the wait. Brian thinks this was the best meal yet and soon he’ll tell you why.

The Firefly Grille is conveniently located (for you suburbanites) in Green Hills , but a bit of a haul for us downtown dwellers. It’s tucked into Bandywood in the “bar district” and surrounded by quaint little shops. If you’re there for lunch, you can definitely make a day out of all the area has to offer. We parked in the adjacent shopping center lot and made our way into Firefly.

The restaurant is a converted home and to keep out the bitter cold, the entrance looked liked the front of a fraternity house on a Friday night with a heavy painted sheet guarding the entrance. For a small space there are an awful lot of tables. The décor resembles the aftermath of a small tornado having swept through an attic full of holiday decorations.

The atmosphere was alive and well on this Friday night. Tables of friends and family, and Brian’s boss (yes, he has a day job!) ate and talked over the distant music in the background. One of the first things we noticed when we sat down was a board on every wall displaying the night’s dessert selection. We both ate a couple bites less of our meals because we knew the promise of a delicious dessert would be kept. Our only complaint for the night was that we couldn’t hear the waiter when he told us the specials! Luckily we didn’t need them because we had enough options on their seasonal menu.

Instead of wine, of which there were many to choose, we opted for champagne in honor of Tracy’s promotion at work. Nothing like a little bubbly to wake up the taste buds!

Firefly had a great selection of appetizers. We narrowed the field to scallops or oysters, but the waiter was little help in swaying us toward one or the other. We finally settled on the “Szechuan style fried oysters tossed in aromatic tangy citrus barbeque sauce with fermented black bean ranch for dipping” ($12). The portion was substantial and looked like something Colonel Sanders would have created had he gone to culinary school. The taste was orgasmic (or maybe it was just the champagne that put us in the mood). The fried oysters were crunchy and sticky and the creamy white barbeque sauce balanced the taste of the seafood well.

For his entrée, Brian chose the “tender Asian-style braised lamb leg in a sweet and spicy aromatic jus scented with blood orange, ginger, lemongrass, Chinese black beans, garlic, kaffir and plum wine, steamed jasmine rice, sugar snap peas” ($26). This Asian-inspired comfort food hit the spot. Brian was practically moaning in ecstasy with every bite as the lamb fell apart with a mere touch of his fork. The complex flavor started off sweet with a lingering heat stays with you in the back of your mouth until the jasmine rice clears your palette. The snap peas were crisp and well seasoned, a great texture complement to the lamb and rice. The meal came with a side salad and tangy vinaigrette. The whole experience was so satisfying that Brian fully intends to request the dish next time he visits - even if it isn't still on the menu!

Tracy stuck with a night of seafood and ordered the “sautéed large shrimp in a ragout of bacon, fingerling potatoes, celerias, shallots, garlic, white wine and crème fraiche, accented by fresh sautéed pea tendrils” ($17). From the first bite to the last, this dish didn’t disappoint. The only tragedy was that Tracy filled up on oysters and couldn’t finish her meal! Luckily we both saved room for a couple bites of dessert. But which do we pick?!

The boards on the wall offered everything from crème brulee to berry cobbler. Since we were both pretty full, we opted for a light dessert with a heavy name, the blackberry pound cake. We probably would have gobbled up the berry cobbler or something equally as heavy but the pound cake was delicate and refreshing and didn’t leave us with our usual “I just ate way too much” feeling. Whole blackberries peeked out from the depths of the slice and Tracy made sure not to miss a single one, once Brain was finished, of course!

Firefly Grille had a neighborhood feeling with gourmet food and we can’t wait to go back!

Pros: Local feeling, casual style

Cons: Inaudible waiter, décor!

-Price: $$

-Location: Green Hills area, tucked into Bandywood

-Food Quality: A+ all around!

-Drink Quality: Perfect for celebrating

-Service: Could have been a little more attentive but it was a very busy night

-Ambiance: Buzzing with excitement and spirit

We’re on a roll and can’t wait for “G!”

Outdoor photo: nashvillrestaurants.blogspot.com

Indoor photo: Armando Sanchez

Ellendale's Restaurant

2010-01-29T20:21:00.011-06:00

Thanks to the recommendation of two of our followers on Twitter, our adventure this week was at historical Ellendale’s Restaurant. Ellendale’s describes itself as a, “family owned and operated restaurant serving Contemporary American Cuisine. Our menu offers creative, hand crafted dishes featuring fresh produce harvested from our own garden, presented with Southern Charm in our own Historic Farmhouse.” We couldn’t have described it better.

The history behind this family restaurant is even more enduring. Ellendale’s was named after Ellen Dale Ives, the great grandmother of the restaurant’s creator and head chef. Ellen Dale Ives was well known and revered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa for her kindness and philanthropy. After growing up reading about the heroism of her great grandmother, Julie Buhler decided to start a restaurant bearing the name of this wonderful woman. Boy, are we glad she did!

Truth be told, we were a little weary about trekking over to Donelson to dine at an unknown restaurant near the airport, but anything for Alphabedible Adventures! We were pleasantly surprised by what we discovered. When we drove up Donelson Pike and turned onto Old Elm Hill Pike, we were shocked at what we saw; a gorgeous house on a hill that looked like it was waiting there just for us. We drove up the driveway, parked the car and began what we were sure would be a wonderful evening. Another pleasant surprise for the night: retired Alphabedile adventurer; Ben decided to join us for our “E”xperience at Ellendale’s. We were thrilled to have him.

Walking through the threshold of this historic home, one immediately forgets the signs for airport parking and gas station down the street. It almost felt as if we were coming home for dinner. The dim lighting, antique furniture and warmth welcomed us in from the cold. From what we could see, the entire downstairs of the house was for dining and the upstairs may have been offices or private rooms for large parties. Downstairs there were three unique dining rooms and a more casual lounge. Each parlor was lightly peppered with eclectic antiques and old photographs that may have even come from the time of Ellen Dale Ives herself.

The hostess greeted us, took our coats and sat us immediately. Once we were settled, our waitress came with dinner and wine menus. The ample wine list complimented an extensive menu of beef, poultry, fish and pasta. Choosing a glass of wine to drink was definitely the easiest decision of the night as the overwhelmingly extensive appetizer menu took us three visits from the waitress before we could settle on something. Brian employed a rating system to help us narrow down the choices, luckily, or we would still be deciding! We ended up with two seafood themed appetizers:

Lango crabby cakes ($9) ”Langostino crab cakes served with a cool spicy avocado sauce.”

Asiago crusted calamari – ($10) "Calamari dusted with semolina flour & asiago cheese, lightly fried & served with a trio of Italian dipping sauces."

If we could have, we definitely would have ordered every appetizer on the menu, but the two we picked definitely did not disappoint. The four dollar sized pancakes were beautifully presented around the avocado sauce. We found it interesting that the words chosen to describe the sauce were cool and spicy, two contradicting terms, but surprisingly enough it was just that! The calamari was a much better dish for sharing. They came with three sauces, garlic aioli, marinara, and basil pesto. It was a beautiful medley of color and texture, each better than the next. We could have been happy with just appetizers, but our main courses were just around the corner.

After an eternity of making up our minds, we each settled on a different protein for our main course.

Brian’s mind was made up as soon as he heard the special: Baked catfish filet ($20)- served over renowned Italian sheep’s milk pecorino romano cheese and mushroom risotto with asparagus spears and a balsamic reduction. We all agreed that the catfish would have been better with a little crunch. As Brian said, “catfish is a dish best served fried.” We also agreed that the risotto more than compensated both in flavor and quantity. Our waitress let us know that Brian was the first patron of the night to partake in the special. I think now we know why.

Tracy chose the glazed apple brandy pork chop ($21)- "Hand cut 12 oz pork chop brined in buttermilk & grilled with a rich brandy & honey lacquer. Topped with spiced apple fries & served with a mango-apple chutney, mashed sweet potatoes, and vegetable casserole." The only word to describe this dish was SWEET! It all melted together to form a delicious combination of textures. The mango apple chutney and sweet potatoes were absolutely delicious and a table hit.

Last but not least, Ben ordered what turned out to be the table favorite of the night, the braised short ribs ($20) "Short ribs braised in merlot and veal stock. Served with pommes frites (hand-cut fries) and vegetable casserole." After both Brian and Tracy’s plates had been cleared, Ben was still practically licking his. The short ribs were melt-in-your-mouth good. The pommes frites were a little on the soggy side but the Dijon aioli was a great accoutrement.

After such great meals, it was hard to even imagine eating dessert, but the show must go on! We were definitely all “choiced” out so we went with the always-changing large dessert sampler ($15), the perfect dessert choice for the indecisive! Because, the sampler is chef’s choice, we had no idea what we were going to be served, but we were happy to find out. Our waitress brought out a large dish featuring mini versions of that night’s desserts: Irish stout bread pudding, banana spring rolls, classic crème brule, raspberry sorbet, Oreo ice cream, cheesecake with raspberry drizzle, chocolate chip cookie bar, chocolate fudge square with raspberry filling and dark chocolate fondue with strawberries and pineapple.

Brian and Ben were hoping to try the banana spring rolls and were pleased to find them on our desert tray. They loved them as much as they thought they would. Other big hits were the Oreo ice cream, bread pudding (Tracy’s favorite) and the fondue. If you know exactly what you want for dessert than the sampler isn’t for you, but if you and a couple of friends want to try all the sweets Ellendale’s has to offer then the sampler is a great option.

All in all, we had a lovely experience at Ellendale’s and can’t wait to go back. After all, we have so many more appetizers to try!

Pros:

Romantic Ambiance
Great place for conversation
Attentive and knowledgeable service
DESSERTS!

Cons:

Location- We wish it were closer to town!

-Price: $$$

-Location: Cute house situated just off of Donelson pike by the airport (don’t let that scare you off!)

-Food Quality: Excellent, Fresh, home grown produce, wonderful selection

-Drink Quality: Broad selection of wines, full bar

-Service: Knowledgeable, personable, and very attentive

-Ambiance: Romantic, Homey, refined yet comfortable

An all around great experience! Join us next week for some "F"un eating!

DaVinci's Gourmet Pizza

2010-01-21T22:23:00.020-06:00

After a large number of recommendations, we decided it would be best to begin again with a fan favorite, in the heart of Nashville: DaVinci’s Gourmet Pizza. We drove up Hayes Street and located DaVinci’s by its neon sign and Christmas lights on the surrounding trees. It was nestled a block off of bustling Broadway, behind the redesigned Hutton Hotel garage. One could easily spend years in Nashville and never know this two house block existed. We chose to park on the street, but noticed that there were signs outside the neighboring establishment welcoming pizza lovers to park there after 5pm. We noticed the porch as we walked in and wished it looked out on something other than a garage.

We entered the restaurant and Tracy immediately commented on how eerily quiet the dining area was. There was no music playing and the patrons were limited to one room. Even so, there were only three tables in use, including ours. We wondered if this was a typical crowd or if we just caught DaVinci’s on a bad night.

There was an Italian mural on the wall in the next room and muted flat screens on every wall in the room that we were in. The candelabra in the fireplace and quirky Italian phrases in unexpected places made us feel very welcomed and warm.

After perusing the menu, we decided to forego any wine because of its limited selection. On the other hand, they appeared to have a very nice selection of beer. We chose not to indulge. We also noticed that there were only two appetizers available and both were variations of a bread and sauce. What happened to the good old days when they brought out some bread and olive oil to dip in?!? We decided to split a classic caesar salad ($8.95 Large) in true Italian fashion. As they say…when in Rome… The lettuce was fresh, but could have easily come from a bag (not freshly chopped). Tracy liked the dressing because it was “more vinaigrettey than creamy.” Brian commented that he was very pleased with the “ample croutons.”

After our salad course, we were more than ready for our pizza. It is often a real struggle to pick a pizza with more than one person. Everyone has their favorite toppings and DaVinci’s has a lot of options to choose from. Luckily, this pizza parlor has the solution. You pick two ways to top your pizza and they will make it, half and half (Add $1.50 Medium). Brian set his sights on the Rosemary Chicken Pizza ($7 Half). The menu describes it as: (white) roasted rosemary chicken with sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, onions, fontina and provolone cheeses, After all, who can resist artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes? Tracy picked a more traditional pizza topped with pepperoni and mushrooms ($6 Half).

When the pizza arrived, we dug right in. Fortunately the pie was just the right temperature and did not require any cooling time. No forks necessary for this pizza!

Brian started with a slice of the rosemary chicken, which was surprisingly lacking in the flavor department until he got to an occasional undercooked onion or the sun dried tomato goodness – a pleasant surprise in an otherwise ordinary slice. The chicken and artichoke provided a complementary texture to the crisp, light crust. Brian was almost certain that with each successive bite he would come across a base of alfredo sauce, but alas, no sauce, and even with the fontina and provolone, the pie remained sparsely cheesed.

Tracy’s first bite came from the pepperoni mushroom side. The zest of the marinara sauce and the perfectly proportioned pepperoni, mushrooms and cheese made this half a table favorite. We decided that the best part of the pizza as a whole is that it wasn’t dripping in grease so we didn’t feel bad that we left no slice uneaten!

Our waiter definitely didn’t push desert on us; in fact, he wasn’t really around much at all. We got one drink refill and he brought our check as soon as we finished the last slice. If you’ve been an alphabedible follower, then you know that no meal is ever complete without dessert. After a little prodding, the waiter ran through the dessert choices but recommended the cheesecake ($4.75) without hesitation. It came out warm and creamy, with a drizzle of chocolate and a thin, delicate crust. We enjoyed our beginning mouthfuls until we noticed that the temperature of the slice was a little bit inconsistent. Even with the confusing hot and cold, we noted it as one of the better cheesecake slices in town. You’ll have to stop by DaVinci’s to see a slice because we dug in so fast that we forgot to take a picture!

After taking our entire meal into consideration, we remain on the fence as far as rating is concerned. With a handful of other great Nashville pizza joints, we think DaVinci’s falls somewhere in the middle, neither great nor terrible. We would like to wait to render final judgment until we can go back and sample some of their other signature pizzas. While it is not the first place we would recommend, we would certainly not turn anyone away.

Pros: Timely service, Affordable (especially when splitting), conveniently located

Cons: Lack of music and personality

Price: $$

Location: Convenient to downtown and midtown living. Block off West End

Food Quality: Middle of the road, but still satisfying

Drink Quality: N/A

Service: The waiter was also the chef so we didn’t see him too much.

Ambiance: TV screens on every wall make it a great place for sports watching but it was way to quiet. Feels like you can’t speak above a whisper.

Tune in next week for more good “E”ats!

We're back and better than ever!

2010-01-21T17:12:00.002-06:00

Hey long lost followers, Tracy here! You may be wondering where we’ve been all this time. Perhaps we just got too full from all of the great food we ate every week. Maybe we were kidnapped by a restaurant owner for giving him a bad review. Whatever the reason, it was not easy to be away and we’re so glad to be blogging and more importantly, EATING again!

Over the last few months, we’ve gone through one important change; Ben will no longer be my partner on this great adventure. Now I know what you’re thinking, and no, I didn’t stab him with my fork after he went for the last calamari ring…but don’t think the thought hasn’t crossed my mind! Unfortunately Ben’s super important job hinders him from the great responsibility of being the taste buds of Nashville. I’m sure you’ll miss him as much as I do but you may catch him in some future pictures as he has requested to still participate when he can, in the eating part of the journey!

On to the good news, I’ve found another foodie to be my partner! I trust that he’ll be a great partner with great thoughts and opinions and that you’ll enjoy hearing them. Without further a due, I give you Brian!

Allow myself to introduce... myself. My name is Brian and I am the newest member of the Alphabedible Adventures team. Together, Tracy and I will take you on a culinary crusade across Nashville, one letter at a time. What qualifies me to join this noble quest? Well, I have been eating food almost my entire life. And, while I only recently moved back to town, I did spend some eight years at school here in Nashville. During that time, I sampled nearly every restaurant within the city limits. Thank goodness some of those places were condemned!

Now that I think about it, I probably had an opinion on most of those restaurants at the time, I just never shared those opinions with total strangers (unless they asked... and a lot of them did... I think I just have one of those faces). But I'm excited to share my experiences with you in the months to come.

Of course, I do have my shortcomings. I don't have a clue how to type. And I may or may not conveniently leave my wallet at home when Tracy and I head to one of the more expensive restaurants in town. (That will just be our little secret, OK?) Besides, I'll promise to get the next one. Tracy has no idea what she has gotten herself into. But enough talk, let's eat!

Caesar's Ristorante Italiano

2009-09-16T20:51:00.011-05:00

This week, we discovered that we have visited to a number of restaurants that begin with the letter C. We were almost ready to give up and go to Captain D's when Tracy took out the phone book and flipped the restaurants section of The Yellow Pages. Caesar's Ristorante Italiano was was the first "C" on the list. After settling on that, we received a tweet recommending it as well so we thought it would be a safe bet. We had heard great things about their lunch buffet but hadn't heard anything about dinner so we were excited to explore new territories.

If you didn't know it was there, you would miss it. Caesar's is tucked into the corner of a strip mall on White Bridge Rd. right by Target. It is hardly visible from the road so you pretty much have to know where you're going to get there.

As we walked up to the restaurant, we were greeted with a neon sign and outdoor speakers playing classic Italian music. Then, walking in felt as if we crossed the ocean into Italy. The smells of garlic, basil and tomato sauce led us to think that we were definitely in for an authentic Italian meal.

We were led to our table and started looking over the menu and wine list. We quickly noticed that there were separate bottle and by the glass menus. While the bottle menu listed vineyards, the by the glass menu just listed varietals (type of grape). In addition, each glass was the same price ($5.95). Not feeling up to the task of drinking a whole bottle of wine, we asked the waiter to explain the by the glass menu to us. He explained that each of the by the glass wines come from a Franzia box. Don't get us wrong, we are recent college graduates and are not at all above drinking boxed wine, but paying $6 for a glass that comes from a $10 box is not economical. We opted for water.

As per usual, we decided to go family style and order a few dishes to share. We always find ourselves unable to fight the urge to order calamari whenever we see it on the menu, so ordering that was a given ($6.95). Next, Ben saw the mozzarella alla caprese (8.95), imported buffalo mozzarella, sliced tomatoes and fresh basil seasoned with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. He chose that as our second dish. Finally, we chose the petto di pollo alla marsala, or chicken marsala ($13.95).

First to arrive was the caprese, which was hands down the best part of the meal. It must be noted that the couple at the table next to us asked the waiter if it was our dessert because the mozzerella halves were so big that they looked like scoops of ice cream. All the elements of a traditional caprese were accounted for: mozzerella, tomatoes, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. However, this particular salad was laid on top of a bed of salad lettuce giving it a bit of a homemade twist. It reminded us of something you might prepare in your own kitchen. The dressing also had a homemade quality. It was a bit more tangy than your standard vinaigrette and it had an unexpected bite that made our cheeks pucker.... in a good way. We also were served a few rolls, slathered in garlic butter to accompany to meal.

Shortly thereafter, our calamari arrived. It wasn't anything too special. Being the calamari connoisseurs that were are, we're use to having each restaurant deliver their own version of the popular starter. This could have come from any restaurant in town and, quite honestly, could've been store bought.

When our entree arrived, the kitchen was kind enough to split the chicken marsala on to two different plates. The mushrooms were fresh and plentiful, but that's about where the complements end. While Ben thought the marsala sauce was "tasty," it was not nearly thick or creamy enough. Plus, the cut of chicken was thin and overall the dish was disappointing.

For dessert, we ordered spumoni, a classic Italian ice cream with a combination of chocolate, cherry and pistachio flavors. Bits of cherry and pistachio were scattered throughout, which offered some good texture differences.

As a whole, the experience was average. The atmosphere was homey, but the food was less that impressive. Friends have advised us that the pizza here is good, so a trip back to try it out may be in order once we make it through "Z."

Pros:

Caprese salad

Italian theme

Cons:

Wines by the glass

Average cuisine

Price: $$

Location: Tucked away, but easily accessible

Food quality: average, but included definite highs and lows

Drink quality: As mentioned, wine by the glass selection was disappointing, but bottle selections offered enough options

Service: You may notice the absence of a server from our description. That's because he was equally absent from our experience. He was there for the high points, but not much else.

Ambiance: The feel of a classic Italian joint will make you feel at home. The music was an integral part of the evening, with not only Italian selections but also The Beetles, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles and, best of all, the chicken dance. Let Tracy demonstrate...

Join us for "D" next time!

Batter’d and Fried

2009-09-11T20:10:00.021-05:00

Our second adventure took us across the Cumberland River to the historic East End of our city. While we rarely visit the unfamiliar Five Points area, the legend of its laid back and eclectic atmosphere always proves to be intriguing.

Tonight’s choice: Batter’d and Fried. The restaurant coins itself as an authentic Boston seafood restaurant with a sushi bar on the side.

As we arrived, the area was alive and the numerous restaurants and bars must have all been busy because finding parking was a challenge, but we didn’t let that ruin our appetite.

When we walked in the front door, the hostess greeted us and offered our choice of indoor or outdoor seating. Even though the crowded patio would’ve provided a lively environment for our dinner, we opted for a more quiet experience inside and next to the sushi bar. The Boston Red Sox décor all over the walls made it obvious and pretty much impossible to forget that we were in Boston territory…. Tracy, having been born and raised a Yankees fan, tolerated it for the sake of the meal.

The expansive menu left no stone unturned. In addition to a variety of fried fish, seafood and sushi, the menu offered various salads, pasta dishes and sandwiches. So if seafood isn’t your thing, don’t worry, you have some other options.

With so many options, we each found it impossible to choose just one dish, so we decided to go family style (a common occurrence when we get together). We started off ordering the Boston clam chowder ($2.75 cup) because, why wouldn’t you at a Boston themed restaurant? And keeping with the Boston theme, Ben also ordered a Sam Adams Boston lager on draft. It came in one of those weird glasses that have recently made appearances in Sam Adams commercials. While they’re a bit gimmicky, Ben thought they contoured nicely to the lip. For the main course, we opted for the seafood platter ($16.99) and a Red Dragon sushi roll ($13.29).

On top of that, we also decided to take a walk on the wild side and ordered a couple oyster shooters. They came in a small martini glass, instead of the customary shot glass, making it difficult to “shoot” them. But we didn’t mind.

Soon the clam chowder arrived. Being in Nashville, we were glad to see that this sometimes watered down soup was creamy and thick, true to the Boston style. Each spoonful offered a bit of sweet clam and potato goodness and would’ve kept us warm during a cold Northern winter. We found ourselves scraping the bottom of the cup, wishing we had ordered the bowl. It was a great way to kick off the meal.

But before we could get too attached, our attention was brought to the steaming seafood platter set in front of us. Deep fried shrimp, clams, cod and “oysters” sat on top of a bed of seasoned French fries. Accompanied by tarter sauce, cocktail sauce and cole slaw. We say “oysters” because that’s what we were SUPPOSED to get, but instead we received a helping of fried sea scallops. Ironically enough, they were our favorite part of the dish. Overall, the platter was what fried seafood should be. The cornmeal-based breading was crisp, but not overbearing. And the food wasn’t overly greasy. Our least favorite part of the dish was the cole slaw. We found it too heavy and not as refreshing as we would liked.

Before we could make much of a dent in the seafood platter, our Red Dragon roll was brought out. The hefty roll was filled with spicy tuna, avocado and unagi inside, had unagi and tuna outside, and was topped with tobiko (flying fish roe) and unagi sauce. The use of unagi, rather than the English translation “eel,” was a good move as the thought of eating the animal might deter the unadventurous eater. Of course, we had no problem digging in.

The roll presented several complex flavors and textures without one overwhelming another. The sauces had a bit of sweetness, the avocado was a creamy and the spice from the tuna left you with a slight (and pleasant) after burn.

To finish off the meal, we went with the Brownie Decadence ($4.99). This was a massive fudge brownie, served warm and topped with chocolate sauce, vanilla bean ice cream and toasted walnuts. We were REALLY hoping for some Boston cream pie, but unfortunately it wasn’t an option.

The experience as a whole was very, well, Boston. The casual atmosphere combined with tons of food choices makes this a place we’ll be destined to revisit. It’s affordable enough to be part of the regular rotation. All we need to do now is get us some Sox gear for the next time we visit!

Pros:
Thick and creamy clam chowder
Attentive but relaxed service
Boston atmosphere

Cons:
Parking
Mixed up item on platter (which turned out to be a pro!)
Oyster shooters weren’t, well, shootable

Price: $$
Location: In the hustle and bustle of Five Points
Food quality: The best slice of Boston you’ll taste in the South
Drink Quality: Good selection with several Boston-themed cocktails
Service: Attentive and easy going
Ambiance: Casual and fun, unless you’re a Yankees fan. Great for a night out with a small group of friends

We'll "C" you later!

The Acorn

2009-09-03T09:35:00.019-05:00

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!

Welcome to our blog!

2009-09-01T23:05:00.003-05:00

Hi there. If you're reading this, chances are you love food just as much as Tracy and me.

First off, let me tell you a little bit about who we are. My name is Ben and I've lived in Nashville since 2003. I've loved every second of it: the city, the people and especially the food. While I definitely consider myself an experienced Nashvillian, I feel like there are plenty of places (specifically in the local restaurant scene) I have yet to discover.

About four years ago, I met my soon-to-be best friend--Tracy. She shares my passion for food and we soon found ourselves going out to eat four nights a week.... But we were sucked into the black hole of chain restaurants.

We needed an escape and a little variety. Thus, Tracy and Ben's Alphabedible Adventure was born.

Here's the scoop: Tracy and I are going to visit a locally-owned restaurant in Nashville once a week that neither of us have visited before. The trick is that every week the restaurant has to begin with each subsequent letter of the alphabet, starting with "A" until we reach "Z."

How will we choose these restaurants, you ask? Some are restaurants that we have wanted to eat at, but just haven't gotten around to. Some we will spontaneously drive by and add to our list. Some we may find using a phone book. And some will be suggested to us by friends and hopefully, our readers!

Here is a rundown of how we will be rating each restaurant:

-Price

-Location

-Food Quality

-Drink Quality

-Service

-Ambiance

In some ways, this project is a hobby, but in other ways, we're hoping this helps us answer the question that always seems to stump us--"Where are we going for dinner?"

Regardless, hopefully by the end of this project we will have expanded our food horizons and encouraged you to visit some of the places we have.

We will begin our adventure tomorrow, September 2nd with our "A," The Acorn (located at 114 28th Avenue North). Stay tuned for our after dinner post and follow us on Twitter (https://twitter.com/alphabedible) for a play by play of our dining experience. Also, feel free to email us with any restaurant suggestions or comments of any nature (alphabedibleadventures@gmail.com).

Happy eating!