Last week, I shared why I think the members of Nashville SC are the local sports stars best suited to give restaurant advice. Now it’s time for the first installment of advice from the quartet of Gourmands in Gold!
To review who’s on the panel, first up is Nashville SC veteran Dan Lovitz. He’s also the host of the team’s popular Between Two Posts video series, and if you haven’t seen the episode in which he takes teammates Alex Muyl and Sean Davis through all the heat levels at Prince’s Hot Chicken, stop reading this immediately, check out the clip and then go watch the entire episode on Apple TV.
Coming soon: our series of footy-foodie posts
Alex Muyl is more than just a podcast guest — he’s another member of our august panel of culinary advisers and our East Nashville expert. Patrick Yazbek has been with the team for only a couple seasons, but he adds some nice geographic diversity to our group of restaurant authorities — both because he hails from Australia and because he lives in Germantown.
Finally, Jack Maher is another wily NSC veteran who frequents restaurants all over town. So let’s dig in!
What’s your favorite Nashville restaurant and why?
It’s always the first question on anyone’s mind when discussing the local scene. Lovitz gives his rose to my man, Vivek Surti. “I’m gonna say Tailor," says Lovitz. "It’s incredibly well-thought-out. It’s like a whole dining experience, and there are only two [seatings] a night. It’s a very family-dinner-party vibe. Not a lot of people. The chef is amazing. He comes out and describes each dish before he serves it and tells a story. It’s Indian cuisine. Really, really cool. It’s really unlike anything else that I’ve had, so it’s awesome.”
Muyl is about as noncommittal as I am when people ask this question. But just because he has a lot of opinions doesn’t mean they’re not great advice! “There are so many amazing restaurants. I love Kisser. I love M&M Taqueria. I love Xiao Bao, East Side Banh Mi. Bad Idea is up there for me.”
He elaborates on his choices, saying: “I think Kisser is great because it kind of feels like an upscale lunch-y type of place, but it's not too expensive, and they just do everything with really, really good quality. The yellowtail collar is crazy. And then M&M Taqueria — I hesitate to say it, because I don't want it to be one of those spots that blows up, but it's an amazing taco truck located on Gallatin Pike. I won't say exactly where — you gotta find it — but the people who run it, the family who runs it, are amazing. So kind, amazing chefs and just really good vibes. I'm a huge taco person. I've been to Mexico City with my good friend a lot and we just go for the tacos, essentially. And these ones are some of the best I've had in Nashville.”
Apologies to Alex, but it’s my job to tell people where to find fantastic food like M&M! And it’s really not that hard to find parking at 2601 Gallatin Pike in front of the tire shop in the same block as Skinny Dennis. (I had to let that cat out of the bag. The tacos are too good to hide.)
It didn’t take Yazbek too long to encounter one of Nashville’s top restaurants for more than a decade, especially because he can walk there. “I think Rolf and Daughters. It's really close to my house. It's easy to get to. I think that it's a great vibe. You can sit at the bar or sit at the table. It can be a little bit overbooked, but if you just call, they'll help you out. They’ve got a good variety of food, kind of simple but elegant at the same time. They have a lemon garlic chicken — it’s really, really nice.”
Chinese takeout, Neapolitan pizza, Asian fusion and Southern ice cream are coming together on the East Side
Maher got so excited about this question that I worried he would skip out on practice. “My favorite restaurant in Nashville right now is Sho Pizza Bar in East. I was told to go there by Dan [Lovitz], and so we went one day, and I think I got the Salumi pizza? It was absolute fire. I like the little chili honey on it — it was incredible. Actually, thinking about it right now, I need to go back.”
Which restaurant do you go to the most?
Whose siren call beckons these footballers most frequently? Some of the answers were surprising.
Maher is fine with going a little lowbrow. “I really enjoy going to Jack Brown’s to get a good burger, especially after a big win. I just get a cheeseburger, pretty simple. I’ve gotten their fried Oreos, but I don’t recommend that as an everyday thing. Just occasionally if I want to treat myself, but they’re incredible.”
Patrick continues his theme of not traveling far afield for food. “The one that I think I go to the most is O-ku. Again, it’s in Germantown, which is really nearby. Or I’m gonna say Pelato. It’s in Germantown too, right next door. It’s just reliable. I order Uber Eats from there all the time.”
Alex Muyl
Muyl also prefers a favorite haunt that is close to home. “I think that's why East Side Banh Mi was up there for me," he says. "Whenever I don't know what to eat or I need a meal quickly, I'll go to East Side Banh Mi, because I love their banh mi. They have really good rice bowls. It’s close to me, the quality is always good, the people are great, so that's probably the one I go to the most.”
Lovitz concurs, with more additions. “SS Gai is up there. East Side Banh Mi is up there. I get a fried egg banh mi or I get a tuna one. I love Roberta’s at Urban Cowboy. That’s a really good one. BITE A BIT is amazing. JMAS Burritos is amazing.”
Where do you eat if you’re looking for something that reminds you of home?
Even though the MLS does reserve roster spots for what they call “Homegrown Players,” NSC’s roster comes to Nashville from all over the country and around the world.
When Muyl is homesick for New York City, he’s got a go-to. “Roberta's tastes, feels like a little slice of home. So that kind of pizza is something I'm really familiar with. And then Frankies came here. It's an Italian spot that's also in Brooklyn, and it feels a little bit like home. Cafe Roze, a little bit too, feels like a little cafe you'd find in New York, and they started in New York as well. They’re right near me.”
Yazbek hails from Down Under — Liverpool, Australia — so homey to him is international to most of us. “Hawkers Asian Street food because in Australia they have a really good Asian scene. I feel like it's probably the first time that I’ve kind of found good Asian food here, or reliable Asian food. So definitely there.”
Maher refers back to his Midwestern roots in Caseyville, Ill., for comfort food. “Growing up, my family cooked a lot of pasta, so I’ve been Uber Eats-ing Penne Pazze. It’s in Sylvan Park, and it’s actually really good. They’ve got an incredible pesto pasta that reminds me of home.”
Home means family to Lovitz, and considering his choices of familiar food, he must have eaten pretty well in his household growing up in Wyndmoor, Pa. “My dad was a really good cook, and he cooked a lot of fish, so anywhere that does a good fish or pork chop, I really like. Pelican and Pig has a really good pork chop. This new place that opened up, Fishmonger, is really, really good. It’s in Germantown. They make a lot of really cool fish dishes that are nice and fresh. And then Henrietta Red does really good oysters, and they always have a good fish or two on there, which is really awesome.”
What is your family’s favorite spot when they’re in town?
Living away from home can be tough, and you always want to impress the family when they come to visit. Lovitz’s folks like, well … Folk. “They love Folk. They love going to Folk. They love Henrietta Red. They had a great time at Xiao Bao. That was interesting and fun. And Noko. They really liked Noko last time they were here.”
Yasbek likes to put on his “Suit and Tie” and entertain the fam at Justin Timberlake’s spot. “I like to take them to The Twelve Thirty Club. I think it’s the perfect Nashville vibe. There’s live music, cool seats upstairs, and it’s a good combination between elegant and just Nashville. It’s got a good variety of food too. It’s got a bit of sushi, steak — top bin.”
So far, I’d say all of their answers have been “top bin” — a phrase I plan to steal from Yazbek and work into my vernacular. Come back to this space next Friday for more great advice from the boys!
