Tayst

We were lucky enough to snag a Nashville Originals gift certificate to Tayst during the last sale. Tayst is the first and only (so far - we hope there will be more!) green-certified restaurant in Nashville and we happily used our gift certificate for an evening meal. And what a treat it was.

We made a reservation for two and were warmly greeted upon arrival. I was very impressed with the seating layout of the restaurant. There was ample seating and while we were seated in a fairly busy area, the positioning of the table made it so we still felt placed away from everyone else and could have a quiet conversation to ourselves.

After we were seated, staff began swooping in to help us place our orders. First, we were offered a wine menu. Frequent readers of our blog may notice a lack of mention of wine on my posts. To be honest, Josh is allergic to most alcoholic drinks and I don't have much stomach for them myself. Sometimes when we visit a restaurant and turn down the wine menu we feel that that choice sets a negative tone and service can be lacking. However, I really appreciated the way that it was handled by the Tayst staff. The menu was offered to us in the form of a question: "would you like to see our wine menu?" And our turning down of the offer didn't seem to bother them at all. However, if you do like to imbibe you will find the wine list at Tayst to be very, very extensive and each menu item is accompanied by a carefully chosen wine. I thought it was nice that you can order wine in increments of 2 oz (about one-fourth of a glass, I believe), 4 oz, 6 oz, and 8 oz, which means that if you want to try just a bit (or want to conserve some money) you can enjoy the great care the chefs have made to choose the accompanying wines.

The menu is set up in sections of "first tayst" (appetizers), "second tayst" (salads), and "main tayst" (entrees). The evening we dined the menu also had an insert of the chef's playful "Value Menu", two prix fixe combinations and a tasting menu. We decided to focus on ordering two entrees and two desserts.

We'll describe our entrees here, but don't expect to ask for the same menu items if you visit Tayst yourself. The menu changes constantly, based upon what local food items the chefs can acquire at that time. Josh ordered the evening's trout dish ($23), which came with a tiny grilled cheese, a baked apple, and salted caramel sauce. It was a very interesting combination, in a good way. I had the evening's pork dish, which was made up of a pork chop ($21), dark wild rice, and cranberry coulis. The pork chop was cooked perfectly, still very juicy, and I loved the rice. My only complaint with the dish was that I could not detect the cranberry flavor of the coulis, but this could have been because other flavors were crowding it out.

For dessert, Josh had a slice of chocolate terrine with crème anglaise ($7). Wow! It was fantastic. I tried it as well and we agreed that it had the truest chocolate flavor we'd ever tasted in a dessert. I chose the pumpkin ricotta doughnuts ($7) and they were fantastic as well. They came piping hot, dusted in cinnamon sugar, and were accompanied by a dollop of thick chocolate mousse, the texture of which was divine.

The service at Tayst was excellent. Our waitress gave helpful suggestions on what to order and kept us apprised on the progress of our meals when there was a slight delay in them coming out from the kitchen.

Overall, we very much enjoyed our meal at Tayst. It's clear that an astounding amount of work goes into the restaurant's operation, from the sourcing of the ingredients to the restaurant and menu design to the helpfulness of the staff. We should note that it's not a place to go if you're looking for large quantities of food (or dining with people not open to new food experiences). Tayst is a place you should go to learn about new flavor combinations, taste your food carefully and slowly, and appreciate the great craftsmanship that goes into your meal.

Tayst
2100 21st Ave S Nashville, TN 37212-4318
(615) 383-1953
Open Tue-Thu 5pm-10pm; Fri-Sat 5pm-11pm

Nana Rosa

We went to Hendersonville for the first time ever (seriously) a few weeks back solely to go to Nana Rosa. It's a small Italian restaurant and we were eager to try out a more homey restaurant when Josh's mother, who adores Italian food, visited town.

My overall impression is that Nana Rosa has bit of an identity crisis which could keep someone from trying them out for a meal. If you go to the website, it's not clear that the business actually includes a restaurant. The home page has listings for biscotti, and yet there is a large photo of cannoli. There is no clear mention of a restaurant. This led to a bit of confusion on our part as we were preparing for our visit. However, the menu can be found here after a bit of search on the home page.

The location itself was difficult for us to find in the dark. Rest assured it truly is at the southeast corner of W Main and Walton Ferry Road, next to a knitting shop in a strip mall. I wish I'd known that as we were trying to find the restaurant. We're probably the last people in the US to not have a GPS system.

The inside of the restaurant is homey and pleasant, and we were greeted by a kind waitress. We were given sliced Italian bread with olive oil for dipping, but when I asked about where the bread was made, things began to get dicey. My inquiry was met with, "oh, it's great, isn't it!" which really felt like an attempt to avoid the question. Nevertheless, we placed our entree orders. All of our entrees came with a salad which was not too special, just chopped romaine with a few scattered tomatoes and olives. Josh got a special entree of the evening, garlic-sauteed shrimp on pasta, I got the veal and sage ravioli with half marinara and half alfredo sauce, and Josh's mother got the mascarpone cheese ravioli. And I have to say that everything was just okay, not really interesting. The mascarpone cheese ravioli was made with a purple-tinted pasta dough. I asked the waitress what might be in the pasta to make it that color and she said she had no idea. The bread and the pasta color descriptions (or lack thereof) make me suspect that a lot of the food is coming from frozen sources and is not made fresh on site.

And that's the main issue for me. When I'm choosing where to dine, I like to know where the food on my plate is coming from. It's nice to support local businesses, but to me, if the food that is served comes from food service companies, it's not that much different than eating at a chain restaurant. But maybe I just went on an off night and asked too many questions. And despite our opinion of the food, we really appreciate the excellent service we received at Nana Rosa. And like Nashville Restaurants reported, it appears to be a good place to take kids. We just can't heartily recommend Nana Rosa when you're looking for good-quality, authentic Italian dining. The reviews on places like Urbanspoon are enthusiastic, but when the commenters are raving about the "red gravy," you have to question what they were looking for in the first place.


Nana Rosa
109 Walton Ferry Rd
Hendersonville, TN 37075
M-F 11am-9pm
Sat 8am-9pm

Miel Restaurant

If you're a true Nashville foodie and you haven't tried Miel, stop reading this and call this number: 298-3363. Tell Paul when he answers that you need a table at their earliest convenience...then sit back and enjoy. Reply to this post when you want to say thanks.

Emily and I finally got around to experiencing Miel, and we will be back soon. It was all-around one of the most enjoyable experiences we've had for dinner. As much as I love what East Nashville has to offer, West Nashville has a true contender that foodies should flip over.

So where is this place? Miel Restaurant hides itself behind the immensely popular Bobby's Dairy Dip off Charlotte Ave. One can get a glimpse of the tasteful logo by looking just beyond the neon power of Miel's older neighbor while driving down Charlotte. Miel regularly sends a team to the local Sylvan Park farmer's market, where they offer free samples of some double-chocolate desserts. Needless to say, they drew our attention and we had been hoping to try this place for some time. The City Paper and the Scene gave them strong reviews during their opening months, so we made an effort to drop by for a special occasion.

That special occasion was Emily's birthday. Lest that image stir up memories you've repressed with professional help (anyone thinking O' Garden birthday moments, or intrusive Mexican hats and trumpets?), I usually aim on the side of caution and do not inform the restaurant that we are there for a birthday celebration. There are some things that just aren't worth the worry of how the restaurant will respond, and a romantic dinner for two is one of them.

When I called to make reservations, my amateur self was blown away by the treatment my call received. My call was answered by Paul, who is a manager, and he made several inquiries that had me raising my eyebrows. First, Paul inquired about whether my party had any food allergies that the staff should be aware of. Nice touch. Indeed we do, and I explained them, (sulfites in wine sometimes give Emily a headache). Then Paul asked if we were there to celebrate a special occasion. Great touch. Why yes, its a birthday celebration. Would it be ok, Paul asked, if we placed a candle in her dessert? That would be just fine. So now I'm really looking forward to what they have to offer, knowing that there will be an extra touch on the evening - without the churning confusion of what they will do to us knowing its birthday related. RIP nightmarish interruptions at the O' Garden and random Mexican place!

I really suggest making reservations. On the Saturday we chose to visit all the regular times were taken by 2:00 pm. We were hoping for a later evening anyway, so we got in around 8:15.

The parking lot is literally just behind the local Krystal's. As we walked in towards the restaurant, we could see the drive-thru (no, not through, thru...come on now) ordering placard and tried to forget that the dime liquor store was across the street. I reflected on the current fate of my friends who used to swear by Krystal's. I'm sure they've moved beyond most of their diagnosable delusions.

The hostess greeted us at the front door, and I was surprised to see the kitchen clearly visible from the entrance. If you haven't been there, think of the space normally reserved for a bar and it's about the same set up. There is a high black counter top where the kitchen crew places their finished works of art. More on that later.

Our small table was well-spaced away from our neighbors, and a dark wood pew from a historic courthouse served as the back-rest for our table and the adjacent one. Wine glasses were not already placed on the table, unlike several other French style restaurants. If you don't get wine there, you feel like you're being robbed of an experience while the waiter whisks your empty glasses away. Not here. No pepper was present, but sea salt was available. Encouraging.

Our blue dress shirt clad waiter said hello and asked us if we had any allergies that they should be aware of. Oh shit. Did they get the message about the birthday? I tried to drop a heavy hint. "When I made the reservation this afternoon, I mentioned a few things..." Poor guy didn't hear me. Just go with it. To save you from the suspense, no, the message had not been conveyed, but I did get the chance to let them know later on, and they came thru. A small serving of homemade coffee ice cream with a candle in it. Beautiful.

Our waiter checked in with us about how to handle our allergies we mentioned and brought out some free starters for us. They have their own farm down the road, called Miel Farm, where they get a good share of their ingredients. Our starters were bread and butter pickles fresh from the farm. Bread and butter usually aren't my favorite, but for a starter it worked great. (Theme alert: things that aren't favorites turn out great here). Fresh baked rolls arrived soon afterward and were too hot to handle immediately. Homemade butter came along with them. Now, if there is someone out there who does not like homemade, sesame-topped rolls fresh out of the oven with authentic butter who is reading this - - why are you reading this?

The menu is small and very French. You will find your eyes lingering on the appetizer selections of frogs legs/escargot, or foie gras wondering if those or the cheese plate should be your chosen starter. I'm not expansionist by nature; I'm a southern boy at heart. Emily took some liberties with her birthday evening, however, and ordered the frogs legs/escargot for us both. Miel's menu says "No splitting, no autographs." Our helpful, courteous and fun waiter explained that splitting plates causes the artistry of the dish to be lost, but sharing is no problem. The menu also states that the wait staff can help with detailed explanations of wine pairings with your meal. Indeed they could, as our waiter spun us around with logic we could not follow, but for wine connoisseurs I'm sure this would be no problem. One criticism - I did feel like the wine had been pushed a bit. Keep your head about you on that score. Wines won't break your budget, as they range from $7 to $15 by glass and $30ish by bottle, but still, heads up.

Hesitations cast aside, our sense of adventure was rewarded. Frog legs are a lot like a chicken wing, and came fried. Two legs were delicately placed over six escargot. I thought the legs were nicely and lightly breaded, but could have used a sauce to add some flavor. The escargot were not fried, but lightly simmering in what appeared to be a garlic-butter base as they arrived. We were already enjoying ourselves immensely and we had just hit our appetizer. Appetizers range from $7 to $15.

We took forever to order our meals because we just couldn't decide. Be sure to ask if you need direction. Vegetarians have a few options, but you're really going to enjoy what you order if you step outside the box a bit. Grouper, veal, venison, steak, and bouillabaisse are all options that looked worth entire evenings themselves. I chose the venison at $34. Most meals were in the $20 range.

As I had noticed the kitchen on the way in, and emboldened by the successes of cracking the frog-leg space/time continuum, I wondered if it would be appropriate to watch the meals as they were made in progress. I asked the server who was filling our water glass if it would be an imposition to watch. She was entirely encouraging. "That's why they're there, feel free to go up at anytime. Bring your wine. It's a tranquil Saturday so they should be able to talk." So Emily and I gathered our wine glasses and went up front. We had a blast watching the dishes come to fruition in front of our eyes. Our water-filler turned out to be the better half of the ownership team of the restaurant. She is, in a word, charming. This was hosting in the sense that foodies will hope for: just an owner talking to an interested couple. We watched, drank, and talked as we enjoyed this spontaneous intermission to the meal. Our waiter had refolded our napkins and had them ready for us upon our return. We successfully coordinated our return to the table with the arrival of our entrees because our waiter warned us a few minutes beforehand that our meals were coming. I felt totally comfortable.

It's in the details of the venison that Miel really begins to shine. The venison apparently comes from a large reserve in Texas where the deer are totally free range. They are actually hunted with bow and arrow, and come incredibly fresh. They didn't bother to ask me how I wanted it cooked, which I took as a very positive sign. Personally, I love medium-rare in my steaks, and that's the way it came. Onion slivers came artfully placed above the thyme-seasoned venison, which curled itself into separate concentric circles, requiring only a few strokes of the knife to reach bite-size pieces. The tender, light meat creates an instant impression, followed by the hit of the onion and seasoning.

While the venison was the focus of the meal, it was by no means the focus of the plate. The rectangular plate had four separate divisions of offerings: the venison on the right, venison sausage on the bottom, purple pureed cauliflower underneath fingerletts of a German dough on the left, and brussel sprouts and chestnuts on top. An apple spread meant for use with the sausage appeared in a streak on the lower left. It created the type of impression that you just wanted to look and not disturb the thing. Miel's website boasts attention to artistry as important to their pursuits, and those efforts were not lost on a casual observer. Each offering was just as impressive to the palate as the visage it generated. The soft bounciness of the German dough contrasted with the smooth cauliflower puree, as did the surprising brussel sprouts and chestnut combination. Each had something different to offer, and choosing where to place the fork next became a matter that took a bit of brainpower.

Helping us loose a bit of brainpower were the well-matched wines. Emily had a white to go with her cream sauce gnocchi dish. (Emily found the gnocchi dish "light and fluffy and very tasty"). I had a red to go with my venison. Both had a depth to them that spoke of quality. We spent so much time trading forks that we had hardly dented our meal by the time our waiter rotated around to check on our progress. Seeing that I had yet to dent some parts of my vast entree, he redirected himself and chose to check on us a bit later. A nice aspect of the service is that there aren't enough tables to make the wait staff flustered and paced, so they can be present for each table they serve.

Dessert was on its way and we headed back to observe. Our hostess spent more time with us, as we discovered their plans to support the local community through a youth cooking program. The kids grow everything themselves and learn about great nutrition. Apparently they invest themselves so thoroughly that they get excited about their beet harvest. Adult volunteers are welcome. Emily also noted that the kitchen spends a little extra to avoid aluminum pans - which is one more chemically-conscious element to the Miel experience.

As we enjoyed our conversation, we examined our developing dessert selection. The creme brulee is inverted - it seemed like some sort of engineering degree is required to make it. I smiled as the chef really took the time to make it a work of art. When she was finished, we gave a small victory hurrah which was seconded by the artist's own hurrah and smile. A curved berry spread compliments a semi-hard caramel streak which run underneath the base of the brule. The caramelized sugar forms the casing for the creme, and it is one of the best I've ever had. Additionally, they brought out the candle and ice cream, (which was homemade coffee), as well as two chocolate truffles encased in a small box with white string for Em's birthday, for us to enjoy later.

As if that wasn't enough, every meal at Miel ends with a spoonful of honey. Miel is French for honey, is pronounced Mee-elle, and a little honeycomb resides in the center of the small dab of honey. It is a great way to finish the experience.

This evening is one Emily and I won't forget. It's difficult to find a place like this anywhere, let alone in Nashville. Foodies, be proud of our friends at Miel. Come and enjoy what they offer.

Miel Restaurant

343 53rd Avenue North

Nashville, TN 37209

615-298-3363

www.mielrestaurant.com

The Artist Corner: Crossville, TN

A few weekends ago we spent some time in Crossville, TN. It is a nice weekend trip because it is only about 2 hours outside of Nashville. A brief description of Crossville is in order so our readers can fully appreciate our finding of this little cafe.

Crossville is a small size town, based around golf courses and mostly known for the numbers of people who decide to retire there in order to settle down in the mountains and experience 4 seasons. There are few restaurants in the town, chain or otherwise, so finding a good cup of joe was quite the adventure.

By sheer luck, we stumbled upon this tiny gem of a place in the middle of the historic downtown area. We were looking for a place to warm up in between jaunts to local antique shops, as it had been raining all day. I believe we came around 2:30 on a Saturday, so we were in fear that they might be closing and not serve us, however we were warmly welcomed. The first sight we saw upon entering the cafe was a couple engaged in a game of chess. They seemed completely relaxed and 'settled in' as their activity had been chosen for waiting out the rainy weather.

We found that The Artist Corner offered a full "Barista Menu," with lattes, espresso, chai, various teas, smoothies, and even beer! Among the group, we sampled the homemade ginger tea, a macchiato, and the dragon well tea. We were overall very happy with our choices, and I was particularly impressed that the tea was not bagged or even in a tea ball, but brewed before being served to me!

The homemade ginger tea proved to be too overpowering for our tastebuds, but I have a feeling that tea made with fresh ginger is still maybe just something that American palates must acquire a taste for.

The next (and to me the most exciting thing) that we discovered is that this cafe is owned by an artist who has not only decorated the walls of the restaurant with his works, but he has painted the concrete floors of each room with his interpretation of a famous work of art! Strangely, we walked through the 3 rooms saying things like, "look at this part" and "this piece was done in 2004," all while admiring the floor!

The kitchen was unfortunately no longer serving food at the time we visited, so we plan to return on another trip to sample the cuisine. The Artist Corner serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner and the whole menu is available on their website, which is a must visit for art lovers. It has various links to artist's works and features some of the work of the owner, Eric Buechel. The Artist Corner is owned by an artist, and therefore this cafe also functions as a location to buy art supplies, as well as an art school and gallery.

The food menu includes these tempting offerings: Eggs Hassarde (Canadian Bacon, Poached Eggs, Tomatoes, Sliced &Kept Warm English Muffins, Split & Toasted, with Hollandaise Sauce, Marchand de Vin Sauce and Cayenne Pepper), International Burgers (Swiss, French, Spanish, and Arabic) and Duck a l'Orange.

If you're in the middle of enduring the long drive down I-40 across Tennessee, The Artist Corner is a nice break to take in the journey, even if you only want a nice cup of coffee-- you'll experience visual delights.

The Artist Corner

52 N. Main St.

Crossville, TN 38555

(931) 456-3636

Closed Sundays and Mondays

Tues and Weds 8am-5pm

Thurs and Fri 8am-8pm

Sat 8 am-3pm

www.theartistcorneronline.com

Multiple ways to follow Nashville Foodies

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Greek Festival!

When I last went to the Greek festival, I was about ten years old. It was high time to return this year, as we went with some friends who boast Greek roots. The other half of the intrepid foodies team was down for the count dealing with some flu issues - which all foodies should know, the best cure for the flu in town is Noshville's matzo ball soup. Its curative powers are equivalent to penicillin.

The three day Greek festival is an annual activity hosted by the Greek Orthodox Church on Franklin Road in mid-September. It borders Franklin Road and Tyne Boulevard, and is easily reached from the Harding Road exit off of I-65, just five minutes south of downtown. Helpful parking volunteers guide you to an appropriate parking spot on the hillside lawn, and you walk up to the festival goodness on the top of the small hill. Did I mention admission is free? If you want a great date without spending a dime, plan on hitting the Greek festival next year.

There's something magical about a festival like this. We arrived on a Saturday night to the band playing a number that had the dancers shouting Opah! as average Nashvillians gave up their inhibitions and joined the ever-growing circle of dancing. The great thing about dancing here is that everyone just holds hands and gives it a go, whether they know what they are doing or not. Kids are usually just jumping up and down in the center as the adults swirl around them. Movement seemed to be generally counterclockwise, with a few spurts of inward steps and backward steps. Two men who really knew what they were doing were the leaders on the outermost circle, but it was so unpretentious that one of them didn't bother to remove his cooking apron. People who wanted to join in just wandered into the circle and had at it, which is just what you're looking for at a festival.

Tables encircle the dance floor and had people eating the homemade meals which were purchased at the side vending locations. We looked around for the best option, and encountered an oddity: Greek salad sold at the Greek festival with - gasp - lettuce! What!? We were so shocked we didn't know what to say. They made it right there in front of you, and we felt a little awkward in deferring to another vendor. How do you get out of that gracefully? I didn't pull it off, but I tried.

We saw options for grilled chicken, gyros, souvlaki, and roast lamb for a full dinner, and we went with the roast lamb, thinking of our time in Greece (where we literally knawed at the remaining fat left on the bone. We were embarrassed. Go to Agios Konstantinos one day, and get the roast leg of lamb from around the church square, and THEN judge us.) Sides were pre-selected, divided plate size helpings of whole red potatoes and green beans. Both came full of flavor if you could pull your eyes away from the dance floor long enough to concentrate on the meal. The roast lamb tasted a lot like roast beef, and was easy enough to divide with the plasticware. Extra kudos for the mini-cup of Greek salad, which, blessedly, did not include lettuce. And it was a pleasure to be served our meal by a young man that looked to be about seven years old. While I wondered if my cafeteria tray would reach me unscathed, it was so much fun for both him and me that I wouldn't have skipped it for the world.

We watched the dancing as we ate our meal, and tried hard not to think about inhaling the local homemade pastries we had picked up. While most meal vendors are outside, the inside holds the crown jewels of the festival: the pastries. You will likely have to wait in line for about ten minutes before you pass by the first pastry section. Welcome distractions while you wait include eyeing the craftsmanship of the jewlery and reading the covers of some religious books. Once you get far enough along, the prices and options are visible...and then you loose your composure. We first hit a refrigerated aisle of mouse-looking whipped dessert (Kok) that was attended to by one of many kind Greek grandmothers, the kind of person who would make you cry if they offered to teach you everything they knew about cooking.

After winning the internal battle to keep looking, we then passed the homemade sweet bread loafs and garlic loafs, which (thankfully) you can sample on your way. The bread was light and flaky, and slightly honeyed in the sample I had, if slightly dry. That's probably due to being cut and left out for sampling.

Next came the army of pastry offerings: Baklava, an almond cookie called "Amglydota", a rolled filo dough creation that's dipped in honey and walnuts called "Diples", and Baklava drizzled with chocolate called "Flogeries". We chose baklava and flogeries, which were the best I've ever had. Even in Greece, I wasn't a big fan of baklava, but they made me a fan here. Flogeries were my favorite because of the chocolate addition. Each of these delectable items were coming out of the back fresh from the ovens as we stood there. I lost all sense of sanity when I saw a raspberry filled sugar cookie tray come right out, hot, at my exact spot in line... and immediately purchased two. I considered it divine intervention. Thank God I have the metabolism of a cheetah.

All this won't break your budget either. Dinners range from $6 to $10 for the roast lamb, and the pastries range from $1.50 to $3.00. Baklava is $1.50, as are the Flogeries. Good luck controlling yourself, foodies, this is a place for real fun, great eats, and a safe escape.

On the word "foodie"

Last Sunday's Tennessean included an article on the front page of the Life section entitled, "Foodie: Does the label still fit?" We'd like to take a moment to weigh in on why we've chosen the term as a part of our food blog name.

We call ourselves "Nashville Foodies" for three simple reasons: we love Nashville, we love food, and we're most of all passionate about food in Nashville and want to share what we learn with everyone. Few things excite me more than when friends or acquaintances try out a recommendation I've given them; just this past weekend some friends drove up from Chattanooga simply to try out two of Nashville's finest coffee shops (Crema and Ugly Mugs, although there are many other good choices out there!)

Maybe we're giving away our age here, but the word "foodie" has for us none of the negative connotations mentioned by the article, and it doesn't seem to for our peers. To us, it's indicative of our desire to eat well, whether it be cooking at home with local ingredients or outside of the home in restaurants. Personally, our feelings about the word are summed up by Kate Bellos, manager of the East Nashville Farmers Market, who is quoted at the end of the article: "I'm a foodie because I like to eat." Well said.