Friday, March 20, 2009
Open Thread Empty Plate: Right This Way to Our Weekly Open Thread
Posted by Jim Ridley on Fri, Mar 20, 2009 at 7:00 AM
Last week, when we handed you the reins to Bites, you spent the better part of 30 posts singing the praises of...chicken livers. What'll it be this week in our Open Thread, where the topics of discussion are entirely up to you? New restaurants, old favorites, bizarre encounters, random observations--you bring it up, and we'll respond.
And as always, if you have tips, news, gossip, gripes and other items you don't care to share with the group, email cfox (at) nashvillescene (dot) com. Get back safely, C--and soon!
Comments (13)
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Had Blue Coast burritos last night from the new West Nashville location. Good queso, very nice (fried) fish tacos, man sized burritos. Fed a family of 4 for 25 bucks. We'd go back
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second visit to Cha Cha last night; 2 for 2! Great Spanish stew...scallops rocked last visit.
Out in Bellevue I tried Tee's Fireside Cafe for the first time. I was pleasantly surprised. I even took my wife back two days later. It's a great place to get a good sandwich or salad. On St. Patrick's Day, my second visit, Tee herself gave my wife and I each a St. Pat's cupcake for free.
I've never had Blue Coast, as big a fan as I am of its parent Baja Burrito. In a way, I'm surprised there aren't a lot more of them—that's about as perfect a restaurant concept as I've ever seen. Fresh ingredients, limited menu, endless variety.
Also: I had a wet Italian beef the other day from Hot Diggity Dogs that tasted every bit as good as the sammy I had in Chicago. (It was about half the size, but these days that doesn't bother me.) I'm glad they ditched the unwieldy focaccia bread.
Made it out to Los Rosales on Blue Hole Road. The employees were so personable; the owner even bought my boyfriend and I a round of beers. Veg. tamale was great, fish tacos were good and the price was right. Hope this place can make it!
Watanabe last Fri. night. Pretty good food overall, with the exception of some funky-tasting wonton soup. And their use of plastic cups bugs me.
Yummy cupcakes (esp. coconut cream) from Germantown's Cupcake Collection - and priced right, to boot!
Mediocre lunch at Urban Flats; I agree with earlier comments about the room needing some warmth.
I also ate at Blue Coast Burrito at Nashville West last night.
Fish Tacos are just as good as the Baja Burrito location and there was no ungodly line out the door like BB.
There's a weed with a blue flower that comes up on the shoulder of the road a lot around here. My wife calls it chicory. This isn't the same thing that chicory coffee is made out of, right? There might be a dinner riding on this.
I believe that is correct, though I've never tried it. Anyone here ever actually baked the roots and ground them into coffee?
Wonder if Wild Bill's serves chicory coffee. I went in the other day, but they only take cash and every ATM within walking distance was not working. I rarely even carry cash anymore.
-went to urban flats for the first time today and took carringtons advice about the fig and procuitto flatbread, which was delicious. saw a lot of other things on the menu that looked appealing, especially that honey-smoked salmon salad? yum. i agree the atmosphere is a little sterile, but my food was great and the service was very good (we told them up-front that we didnt need a wine list).
-i think my husband and i are starting to get recognized at zavos since we go about once a week.
-can i just say how much i love the pre-washed/chopped fresh veggies from trader joes? i know it sounds lazy, but it saves me so much time in the kitchen.
-anyone know where you can buy balsalmic reduction around here? i know, its easy to make yourself, but mine never tastes as good as say, fido's and see "lazy" . im gonna keep experimenting with it, but in the meantime, id like to just have some in the cabinet (since its good on EVERYTHING).
Belle Meade is getting a Moe's. I was running (literally) through the parking lot at the new Publix and saw that they have installed a sign for one of the first tenants in the strip of storefronts directly on Harding. I like Moe's, but are we getting inundated with burritos/tacos in West Nashville with Blue Coast at Nashville West and the new Local Taco that's taking over Goldie's space?
I also tried Urban Flats recently and had the fig & prosciutto flat (on Bite's recommendation) as well as the turkey/brie/pear flat. Both were delicious and pretty fast service at the bar! A coworker went recently too. She said the flats were much better than the entrees.
if you ever read my blog (ulika food blog) or even if you have thought about it, could you please vote for my blog at this site:
http://www.favbbqblog.com/
I really appreciate it. thanks for supporting Nashville food blogs.
Meant to post this earlier, but: the foot-long hot dog eating contest at the Belcourt's midnight screening of Boogie Nights was one of the most disgusting spectacles I've ever seen. Speed eating is probably something I practice on a daily basis, but oh my God is it appalling to watch. I have dim memories of actually participating in a Belcourt midnight-movie hot dog contest. I think I'm repressing them.
Also nightstick-sized hot dogs are pretty lousy in my experience. Girth is not something I want in a weenie. Except for Hot Diggity, I can't eat any hot dogs but Nathan's.
