Monday Menu: Seafood, Tacos and Chai Edition

The next few weeks are going to be chock-full of fun dining opportunities, including some collaborative dinners, a new Mexican spot opening in Nashville Yards and a Diwali celebration at The Hermitage Hotel. Read on for the details!

Thirty years ago, when Congress actually passed bills, they named October National Seafood Month. To celebrate three decades of the sea’s bounty, José Andrés’ Bar Mar in the W Hotel and recent Best of Nashville winners Henrietta Red in Germantown are coming together to share their aquatic prowess in a two-part dining experience.

In celebration of National Seafood Month, Bar Mar and Henrietta Red are joining forces for a two-part culinary collaboration showcasing each restaurant’s distinct approach to seafood. On Thursday, Oct. 22, Bar Mar will host the Henrietta Red team in their kitchen for a six-course tasting dinner with each restaurant contributing three dishes. Dinner starts at 6:30 p.m., and you can make your reservation at the event website.

The following week, Henrietta Red will return the favor with a “Power Lunch” from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 30. The four-course lunch will again feature contributions from both restaurants, and they are accepting reservations on OpenTable.

If you were lucky enough to attend this year's Best of Nashville party at The Ascension St. Thomas Landing at Nashville Yards, you might have noticed a bright-pink building looming over the site. On Friday, Oct. 23, you’ll finally be able to get inside to discover Puesto. The California-based cantina is family-owned, and this location is the first outside of the Golden State.

There is a local connection though, because one of the cousins who owns the chain is a Vanderbilt graduate. Isidoro Lombrozo knew Nashville would be a good place to open the 10th Puesto location. “Nashville has always been close to my heart,” he shares in the opening announcement. “My years at Vanderbilt gave me a real appreciation for this city, its people and its strong sense of community. Coming back to open Puesto with my family feels like a full-circle moment. It’s meaningful to share our Mexican heritage, food and traditions with a city that played such an important role in my life.”

The physical address of the new Puesto is 991 Exchange Lane, but you can’t miss the vibrant building with its expansive deck. Between indoor and outdoor seating, the restaurant can seat up to 380 guests in multiple dining areas. The decor and cuisine of Mexico City are the dominant themes of the restaurant, with Aztec-inspired artwork and sculptural accents spread around the property.

The restaurant prides itself on handmade blue corn tortillas made using fresh organic masa, and they top most of their tacos with a fun blanket of griddle-fried cheese like the frico on the edge of a frittata. The bar program revolves around agave products, and they are quite proud of their signature margarita program.

Puesto will be open daily for lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday. On Taco Tuesdays, select taco plates are half-price. Happy hour runs daily from 3 to 6 p.m., and a late-night happy hour is served from 9 p.m. to close on the front patio and at the bar.

The Hermitage Hotel is known for their elevated afternoon tea program, including special events around the holidays and to commemorate the property’s role in the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which expanded women's voting rights. Now the hotel is expanding their offering to include a special Afternoon Chai service to celebrate Diwali, the Indian Festival of Lights.

For two weekends — Oct. 30-Nov. 1 and Nov. 6-8 — the Grand Lobby and Veranda of the hotel will be set for tea service, pouring masala chai and serving mithai and other sweet and savory treats. The hotel hopes that attendees will embrace the festivity.

“Guests are invited to dress for the occasion and embrace the glamour of Diwali: Indian couture, a treasured sari or kurta, beautiful jewelry, a favorite handbag, rich color and embroidery, or perhaps a piece collected on travels and waiting for exactly the right occasion," read press materials from the Hermitage. "Fashion becomes another expression of the celebration, bringing color, individuality and a sense of occasion to the room."

Hermitage managing director Dee Patel grew up celebrating Diwali, so she’s excited to be bringing the festival to the hotel. “Some of my happiest memories of Diwali are simply everyone being together," she says. "Family and friends, sharing food and gifts, getting dressed up, the house full of people. There is so much joy and generosity in it. To share a little of that at The Hermitage feels very special.”