Right off the bat, major mea culpas on my part for not sharing this first news nugget sooner. Now that I have actually met the upcoming new chefs at The Catbird Seat — Andy Doubrava and Tiffani Ortiz — I’m even more excited about their impending introduction to the new kitchen after the restaurant moves to its new location in the historic Bill Voorhees Building in Paseo South Gulch.
In anticipation of the move, the chef team has scheduled several pop-up events around town to introduce themselves to the local dining community. Now the part where I screwed up: I missed sharing the first two, and the tasting menu at Bastion tonight is already full. I know, I suck.
The couple is best-known for their nomadic Slow Burn restaurant series
But fear not, because there are still some upcoming opportunities to get a sneak peek at what’s coming at a few more upcoming casual events. The talented chef duo will be offering an à la carte menu on Thursday, June 13, at The Patterson House (also slated to make the move to Paseo South with their upstairs neighbors Catbird Seat). On Thursday, June 20, baseball fans will be able to sample what promises to be some unique ballpark food at The Band Box during the Nashville Sounds game, and on Monday, June 24, Doubrava and Ortiz will offer a tasting menu one more time at Bastion.
Does this mean that we can expect The Catbird Seat to officially make the move sometime soon? I sure hope so!
If you like piña coladas, etc., etc., mark your calendar for Monday, June 24, when the second annual Piña Colad-off returns to White Limozeen at The Graduate. Some of your favorite bartenders from spots like The Fox, Barrel Proof, Coral Club, Pearl Diver, L.A. Jackson, Martha My Dear, Mother's Ruin, Chopper Tiki, Old Glory and White Limozeen will be vying to create the best coconut, pineapple and rum concoction beginning at 4 p.m. Your $15 ticket includes access in The Governor’s Pool on The Graduate’s rooftop, entertainment from DJ Sheemo and samples of frosty beverages to help you pick a winner. Proceeds benefit The Giving Kitchen, so make your reservations now!
Superica's Strawberry Marg
Even though we’re reaching the end of strawberry season in Middle Tennessee, the bar at Superica in the Gulch must have laid in some significant store of the luscious red berries, because they are kicking off their inaugural Strawberry Margarita Week from June 6 through 12. Made using a special recipe from chef-owner Ford Fry’s cookbook, this marg will contain El Jimador blanco tequila, triple sec, fresh lime, puréed local strawberries and a pinch of sugar. It’ll only be available during this week, so make plans for a sip of summer.
Melrose favorite Sinema is celebrating 10 years in the former Loews Melrose Theatre with a monthlong “Ode to the Past” menu featuring some old favorites from the past decade. The tasting menu is available for $80 a person, with regular and premium wine pairings available for an additional charge.
The menu looks pretty spectacular:
Course 1
Green Goddess — Butter Lettuce, Cucumber, Strawberry, Radish
House: M. Chapoutier Belleruche Rosé, Cotes-Du-Rhone, France, 2022
Premium: Louis de Grenelle, Saumur Corail Brut Rosé, Loire Valley, France, NV
Course 2
Ricotta Agnolotti — Cured Lemon, Stewed Tomato, Herbs
House: Maison les Alexandrins Viognier, Loire Valley, France, 2021
Premium: Zenato Valpolicella Superiore, Veneto, Italy, 2020
Course 3
Seared Scallop — Parmesan, Spinach
House: Genetie ‘Illumine’ Bourgogne, Chardonnay, Burgundy, France, 2021
Premium: Chateau Ducasse, Bordeaux Blanc, France, 2021
Course 4
Confit Chicken — Asparagus, Pistachio Risotto, Cherry Jus
House: Owen Roe Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Ore., 2021
Premium: Chateau Pegau Cotes-du-Rhone Cuvee, Maclura, Rhone, France, 2020
Course 5
Strawberry & Rhubarb — Strawberry Jam, Rhubarb Sorbet, Biscuit, Pie Crust Crumble
House: Taylor Fladgate 10-Year Tawny Port, Vila de Gaia, Portugal
Premium: Royal Tokaji 5 Puttonyos Aszu, Hungary, 2017
Photo by Greg Powers
Green Hills is coming to Germantown on Friday, June 14, as James Beard-nominated chef Victor Albisu will be popping up on the patio at Mother’s Ruin from 5 to 8 p.m. to serve some of his signature menu items from Taco Bamba. In addition, the talented mixologists at Mother’s Ruin will be serving one of Taco Bamba’s most popular cocktails from the bar, so you can get the best of both worlds.
Humble Baron bar at Nearest Green Distillery
Finally, in celebration of the 45th Black Music Month, Nearest Green Distillery in Shelbyville is teaming up with the National Museum of African American Music in Nashville for a special Rhythm & Whiskey Combo. On Friday, June 14 (along with July 12, Aug. 9, and Sept. 13), participants can take a tour of NMAAM in the morning to discover the many contributions that Black musicians have made to almost every genre of music through the years, followed by a trip to Shelbyville for a guided tour of the distillery along with tastings. Visitors can also check out Humble Baron, the Guinness World Record holder for the World's Longest Bar for live entertainment, Southern cuisine and specialty cocktails featuring Uncle Nearest Whiskey before jumping on the bus for the ride home from Shelbyville.
Tickets are available for $99.99 and include admission to NMAAM, transportation to the distillery, a guided distillery tour, whiskey tasting and more (although the price of food and cocktails are not included).
This sounds like the perfect reason to play hooky on an upcoming Friday!
