Dining
Parco Cafe’s sandwiches and desserts have earned a loyal following among Nashvillians—enough so that regulars at the Farmers Market lunch counter have the same kind of friendly familiarity you might see among a group of regulars at a bar. But lately, customers have been showing up only to discover that Parco Cafe has been closed, owners Chun Fu and Tsuo Chuan Fu nowhere to be found. Yearning for a Parco veggie burger, they sit, crestfallen, toying idly with their food from a neighboring stand.
So where have the Fus been? Hard at work, it turns out, getting their new full-service restaurant in Printers Alley ready. Tentatively scheduled to open at the end of this month, it’s the realization of a long-held dream for the Taiwanese couple, who’ve spent the last few years exploring restaurant sites all over town. Nashville diners have long marveled at the Fus’ ability to turn out carefully, exquisitely prepared food in their tiny Farmers Market space, and the news that they’ll have an entire restaurant at their disposal makes the mind reel. Mr. Fu has trained extensively overseas as a pastry chef, and in his new outpost, he’ll have an entire kitchen in which to work his dessert artistry—including handmade chocolates.
An adjoining kitchen will be devoted to salads, sandwiches and entrées that fuse Asian and Western approaches to cooking. Among the equipment is a gas range top specially designed for woks, which means Nashvillians will finally have the chance to eat Chinese food the Fu way—cooked with minimal grease, maximal creativity and an array of choices for vegetarians. Parco’s veggie ham and veggie chicken are deservedly popular, and Mr. Fu says he’ll extend his range of faux meats, made with specially blended soy beans, wheat gluten and seasonings, that much further. Make no mistake: this is not the flavorless fare people typically associate with vegetarian cooking, but rather a unique, robust subgenre of Chinese cooking. Carnivores need not worry; they’ll have plenty of choices, too.
Already, some diners have greeted the news of Parco Cafe’s move to Printers Alley with mixed reactions—why, of all places, in a fading nightclub strip? But with the steady development of residential properties downtown and the promise that, one day soon, construction along Church Street will reach completion, Printers Alley is looking more and more desirable; it’s already rich in history, not to mention cool old signage and buildings festooned with wrought-iron railings. The Fus have done a remarkable job converting a dark, dank space previously occupied by the club Alleygators into a cozy, warmly lit dining room marked with personal touches: art on the walls, a display case jammed with beautiful earthenware teapots, a bar stocked with all the implements for Parco’s soothing teas and bracing coffees.
Though the hours will likely change once they establish a regular rhythm, for now Parco Cafe will be open daily 11 a.m.-2 p.m. for lunch; 2-5 p.m. for afternoon teatime; and 5-8 p.m. for dinner. The address is 207 Third Ave. N., but the entrance is around the corner, in Printers Alley where it intersects with Church Street. Because the opening date hasn’t been set, call the restaurant at 259-7863 to confirm whether they’re serving yet. In the meantime, Parco Cafe’s Farmers Market counter will resume operations with lunchtime hours starting in the next week.
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