The Bites inbox has been filled with interesting dining opportunities lately, including a new dinner series at a favorite local distillery, two vegetable-forward meals and one I guess you could call fruit-forward since it’s all about grapes. Read on and prepare to tuck in!
The Nashville Food Project is preparing for its immersive and interactive Simmer dinner event on Friday, Aug. 23, at the organization’s headquarters building at 5904 California Ave. This year’s event will focus on vegan eating, presented by two of Nashville’s favorite meat-free chefs, Season Nashville’s Ryan Toll and Mariah Ragland of Radical Rabbit.
You might remember Toll as the owner and chef at gone-but-not-forgotten vegan restaurant The Wild Cow. Since that establishment closed, he has been working to establish his plant-based prepared-meal and catering business with a range of breakfast, snack, lunch, dinner and dessert options presented using eco-friendly packaging. Toll releases new menus every week, plus he sells his wares at the East Nashville Farmers Market.
Raglan’s Radical Rabbit is another market stalwart, particularly at the Saturday market in Richland Park. Since 2018, she has helped revolutionize vegan eating in Nashville, and I consider her the absolute jackfruit master!
The two chefs will join with Nashville Food Project staff to present a vegan menu that will take full advantage of the bounteous produce of late summer in Middle Tennessee. The meal will run from 6 until 8:30 p.m., and tickets are available at the Simmer website.
Up in Marathon Village, The Restaurant at Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery continues to refine its service options with a fun new initiative. The Thursday Night Supper Club is a weekly event with a culinary theme that runs through the four courses of the family-style dinner service, with each course paired with one of the distillery’s products.
They’ve already highlighted different cultures and cooking styles, from Jamaican to Italian to Chinese takeout, and this Thursday’s luau-themed event has already sold out. (Although you can join the wait list if you’re feeling lucky.) Here are the themes they have planned for the next few weeks:
Aug. 29: Low Country — Southern cooking featuring dishes like smoked corn hush puppies and andouille & chicken gumbo.
Sept. 5: Français — French dining with classic favorites like boeuf bourguignon.
Sept. 12: Opa! — Greek-inspired dishes like dolmades, lamb moussaka and baklava.
Tickets for the dinners are $55 and are available at NGBD’s reservations page.
In more supper club news, the talented culinary team at Lyra in East Nashville is collaborating with Tandy Wilson’s kitchen at City House for a special Sunday Supper collaboration this Sunday, Aug. 25, from 5 until 9 p.m. In addition to the already spectacular food that City House puts forth on Sundays when they have fun going off-menu, Lyra’s contributions will include an Armenian-inspired pizza topped with lahmacun, onions, fresh herbs and a citrus-dressed arugula salad; hindbeh, sauteed bitter greens with deep-fried crispy red onions, garlic, spices and topped with barberries and labneh, and tahini-crusted oven-roasted cauliflower with mint and toasted pepitas. Yes, please!
The collaborative dishes will be served alongside City House’s regular Sunday Supper menu, with á la carte prices starting at $13. For reservations or more information, visit cityhousenashville.com.
Finally, it’s almost time for the 20th annual Wine on the River Event at Riverfront Park. The yearly benefit for The DISTRICT of Nashville supports the organization’s efforts to revitalize and maintain the historic downtown district. For this year’s festival on Saturday, Sept. 14, proceeds will specifically go to the 2ndAveStrong initiative to help with the recovery from the 2020 Christmas Day bombing.
The festival will run from 3 until 7 p.m. along the Cumberland and feature wine, spirits and beer tastings along with other beverages. Food will be available for purchase from local restaurants and food trucks, and The San Rafael Band and Heidi Burson will provide live entertainment.
For a complete list of food and beverage vendors, to purchase tickets or to learn more about the event, go to wineontherivernashville.com.
