After a tough couple of months, it's nice to share some good news about the local restaurant industry for a change. Let’s start the week off with a little pick-me-up.
How would you like to help out with the very important work of the The Nashville Food Project while enjoying some delicious candy at the same time? The NFP is coming together with the Goo Goo Shop downtown at 113 Third Ave. S. for a “Taste of Goo Goo” experience from 5:30 until 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 24.
The hands-on class will offer a behind-the-scenes view of the iconic local candy brand, including the opportunity to taste a variety of products and create your own custom candy bar. All guests will also receive an apron and some clusters to take home, plus a 10 percent discount on any in-shop purchase that day.
One-hundred percent of the proceeds from the $40 class will go to support The Nashville Food Project’s efforts to create a more just food supply system in Nashville. Reserve your spot at the event website.
The Hoosier Daddy at Cledis
Even as other restaurants are closing and chains are shrinking, Shane Nasby continues to pour gas on the grill of his Cledis Burgers & Beers mini empire. On March 30, Cledis' third location will open in the former home of the original Party Fowl at the corner of Eighth and Division. Joining the original spot on Elm Hill Pike and the second Cledis in Bellevue, this outpost will have even more room to serve Nasby’s brand of creative smashburgers along with other great (if not necessarily good for you) options like hoagies, nachos, loaded fries and cheesecake parfaits.
Nasby is also planning to offer a legit version of the classic Midwestern pork tenderloin sandwich, complete with the requisite ridiculously huge fried patty, which dwarfs the small bun it is served upon. The “Hoosier Daddy” has been a weekly special at other Cledis locations, but it has now ascended to the permanent menu.
Nasby has also become a bit of an internet auteur, producing hilarious short films to promote Cledis, including this announcement of the third location, in which he greets some of his new neighbors, and this parody of other burger bosses trying little nibbles of their new burgers. If this whole burger thing doesn’t work out (though it certainly looks like it will), Shane might have a future in the film industry.
Verde Farms is an industry leader in organic, grass-fed beef for wholesale and retail sales. Headquartered in Burlington, Mass., Verde Farms sources organic, 100 percent grass-fed and finished beef, humanely raised, verified regenerative, free from antibiotics and added hormones, non-GMO and pasture-raised. Nashville consumers can find the brand at retailers including Publix, The Fresh Market and Amazon Fresh, as well as at partner restaurant True Food Kitchen, which has been a Verde partner since 2023.
To formally introduce themselves to the market, Verde Farms is setting up an immersive multisensory pop-up on Broadway in front of Bridgestone Arena from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. on April 2. Visitors will virtually step into the pastures of Verde Farm ranchers and learn about why organic standards matter when choosing beef for themselves and their families.
They’ll also be cooking up free sliders. The family-friendly event will also feature free swag and the chance to win bigger prizes. For more information on Verde Farms, visit verdefarms.com or follow them on Instagram.
