Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Restaurant openings Tabouli's space becoming "La Fiesta"
Posted by Chris Chamberlain on Tue, Jan 12, 2010 at 10:54 AM
Tabouli's, the recently remodeled Belmont Boulevard Mediterranean restaurant and hookah bar has apparently decided to head in another direction. We knew something was amiss when they stopped having belly dancers on weekends. I mean, c'mon ...
According to a hand-lettered sign leaning against the front door, the now-shuttered restaurant will reopen on Jan. 18 with the imaginative name of "La Fiesta." The neighborhood has been begging for an upscale Mexican establishment for years. I don't know if this will be it, but it will be interesting to find out.
The first 20 patrons at 11 a.m. on the 18th will receive a free cheese dip. I'm not sure if that's worth camping out for, but if you get there before we do, give us your impressions in the comments below.
Comments (21)
Showing 1-21 of 21
Hate to make a snap judgment, but the sign (and history of that space) suggest something Las Palmas-style. And I'm sure it will inexplicably be slammed. Oh well, at least Taco Mamacita is right around the corner. Tried their peruvian chicken last weekend, it was juicy and enormous.
As for true "upscale" type places, we could use something like these:
http://www.salpicon.com/
http://www.trecerestaurant.com/
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I'm going to go out on a big-ass limb here and say that the restaurant will not be upscale, and whether or not it will be Mexican is even in question. Although, that is a pretty awesome sign. Can't wait for the "cheese" dip.
I'm not terribly surprised. Everything about Tabouli's left something to be desired, though I never saw the belly dancers. Maybe this Mexican direction will be a little better.
As a long-time resident of this neighborhood, I've never heard anyone call out for an upscale Mexican restaurant. Jason Brumm was going to put in a taco bar with cold beer and tequila, but he got the rug pulled out from under him by the Tabouli guys at the last minute. I don't know about you, but a hand-lettered sign and free cheese dip to first 20 peaople just screams 'upscale Mexican' to me. I'm a lot more excited about B&C going in to the space at the Melrose Kroger, not to mention Burger Up of course.
I have no words....I do enjoy a good Margarita...and maybe I could barter cheese dip in exchange for small stints of me as a Fanta Girl!! Yes? Maybe?
When Jason was working on his concept, lots of folks got all lathered on the comment boards. Many of them (us) were disappointed that it fell through. Hopes shifted to Rosario's, but it just never clicked. Opening without a liquor license started them out in a margaritaless hole.
I never implied that the cardboard sign screamed quality.
Just hopin'...
Actually, Rosario's always had margaritas, but it was beer they couldn't sell. Regular beer, anyway.
They had a liquor license but no beer license. The latter is often more difficult to secure.
So once again we ended up with a situation where a restaurant can sell higher-alcohol beers that qualify as liquor, but not regular beer with a lower alcohol content.
And many people couldn't imagine eating Mexican food without a Corona or Bud or some such.
If you find this regulatory situation insane, talk to your Metro Council member.
Folks did get lathered up over Jason's potential owenership of that space, but it was never intended to be 'upscale'. Au contraire, my ami, it was always supposed to be very laid-back casual. Which suits the neighborhood. I was among the very disappointed when he got shafted.
And a beer license is the hardest of the three to get in Nashville. That three are needed is just the start of the local liquor law lunacy.
I'm splitting hairs, boss. In my first ever restaurant review for Metroblog Nashville, I made the mistake of visiting the first week they were open, before Rosario's had any licenses. http://nashville.metblogs.com/2007/07/12/refrieds-revisited/
Like Kay said, it's a necessity to get that done first. And I was dumb to go so close to opening night.
But we wanted something a little better than Las Palmas that we could walk to. That's what I meant by "upscale"...not Las Palmas.
excited about B&C going in to the space at the Melrose Kroger
Bailey & Cato are moving to 12South? Fuck me.
While I did discuss "upscale" places above, don't get me wrong, I 'd also take something more casual that is good quality. When there was word of Jason Brumm opening his (tex-)mex place, it was exciting because based upon Radius 10, it was pretty safe to assume that the food would be good, whether casual, upscale or whatever.
Hand lettered signs, meanwhile, promising "free cheese dip" suggest tortilla chips from a bag and stuff piled with melted cheese, i.e. Las Palmas, Fiesta Mexicana, US Border Cantina, Cancun, Azteca, etc. (which don't get me wrong are fine for what they are every once in a while.)
Overall, I just want some places with some decent quality. Baja Burrito, Taco Mamacita and Local Taco(to some extent, though their tacos are skimpy), are really all that come to mind.
Tobin, I think she meant Bacon & Caviar. The barbecue place that's in the farmers market.
I guessed Bacon and Caviar too, but now I'm wondering if it's Bread & Copmpany.
What's the scoop, Kay?
Ditto on everything ScottJ said. (But not in a Rush Limbaugh way...)
Personally I'll be glad if it isn't "upscale". I have many friends (myself included) at Belmont who would kill for a cheap, las palmas-style restaurant within walking distance. If it is like that, I think it will do very well with all the munchied-out kids on campus bringing business in.
It's Bacon & Caviar, from the Farmer's Market. Prepare your plates for grits of the day, among other wonderful items. They're at the end of the strip there, next to Las Palmas, the odiousness of which will hopefully not seep through the walls. They have built an actual covered patio on the exterior wall so we can eat 'que with a view of Fat Mo's. And Tobin, if it's all the same to you, I'd rather not.
B & C BBQ within walking/waldeling home distance!! That could be dangerous for me!!
Geez Im gonna have some high hopes. I have not found on mexican joint in Tn worth going to again I mean that queso dip isnt even mexican cheese lets just all hope I guess
Recently, I had a wall beer opener installed in our kitchen. And, while I am not ready to give up my regular bottle opener. In any case, it is very nice having it as a safety net just in case I lose my keychain opener.
We ate at La Fiesta last night. In Spanish, my husband explained he added a tip to his credit card payment. The "host" or "manager" told us he spoke Arabic not Spanish. So much for Mexican and so much for upscale. It may last 3 months.
I know this is behind the game a bit, but just a tip from the Nashville.gov Health Dept Site:
La Fiesta Restaurant
2015 Belmont Blvd.
Date Inspected: 7/14/2010
Score: 49
Major Violations:
* All foods in prep cooler were out of temperature
* Employee used rinsed off utenils without proper washing
