Chicken Tenders and fries at McDougal’sPhoto: Daniel Meigs
Two years ago I read an article that still haunts me. In the Scene’s “Off-the-Radar” series, contributor Chris Chamberlain wrote, “When I want a plate of delicious food that promises to be filling without being too precious, Tin Angel has always been there for me.” The article did its job. I went there. I remembered how much I loved its cozy bar when I first moved to Nashville in 2005. I enjoyed a $5 martini. I wondered aloud: Why don’t we ever come here? And then I forgot to go back.
Tin Angel closed in March, and that is bad for Nashville. New restaurants get press by virtue of being new. Some are good. Some have good PR. Nashville is good at PR, and that’s not all bad. In the past 10 years, we’ve been nominated for 29 James Beard Foundation Awards — 20 were in the past five years. That is awesome. City House and Margot Café and Strategic Hospitality deserve all the praise they get. But those folks would also agree that praise should be spread around to other people who have been here for years, grinding it out, enjoying moderate, unflashy success — the ones who will never get a Beard Award or a New York Times feature or the acclaim of staples like Arnold’s Country Kitchen, Prince’s Hot Chicken, Mitchell Deli or Mas Tacos. This article is for them.
Hot & Dirty Martini at Park CafePhoto: Eric England
Park Cafe
4403 Murphy Road
In the same way today’s restaurateurs are fond of naming places “BLANK & BLANK,” the early Aughts never met a “cafe” they didn’t like, and this list is lousy with them. Park Cafe is of that older era, but like Jane Fonda, it no longer shows its age. In 2015, Willy and Yvette Thomas gave the converted Sylvan Park home a facelift, adding an airy bar, big windows and skylights, and a lovely terrace. It’s the perfect place to enjoy a “Hot & Dirty” martini, a spicy, salty mix of pepperoncini juice, vodka and blue cheese olives. And if you’ve never had the pan-seared salmon with Szechuan green beans and coconut rice, it’s time. There’s a reason it’s been on the menu for 18 years and counting.
McDougal’s
2115 Belcourt Ave.
McDougal’s in Hillsboro Village needs no introduction — its crunchy chicken tenders, dip-’em-by-the-dozen fries and seven sauces speak for themselves. But for those who don’t know the face behind the fowl, the website says it well: “There is a real McDougal person. ... He is not a fictitious corporate marketing gimmick that some intern rolled out. He’s an ‘average Joe’ with a huge heart and passion for chicken.” As someone who went to college with that “real McDougal person,” I can confirm this. I’d also like to add that Tommy is a fun, loud, weird, slightly crazy son of a bitch who grew up to make good food, and that’s all I want from my chicken man. That and some spicy “Gold” tenders with McDougal sauce on the side.
Lobster-Brie Mac-and-Cheese at Midtown CafePhoto: Eric England
Midtown Cafe
102 19th Ave. S.
If you don’t know the name Randy Rayburn, let me say: Welcome to Nashville, Chad! Did you know Nashville was founded in 1806 and not two years ago when you moved here from small-town Indiana? History is dope, isn’t it, Chad? If, on the other hand, you do know Rayburn, you know that no list of decade-topping spots is complete without one of his. From the late Sunset Grill to Cabana, Rayburn’s been serving Nashville since the ’80s, and Midtown Cafe is a mainstay for two reasons: 1) The lemon artichoke soup (you either know this, or you are Chad, to whom I say: Chad! Grab the nearest scooter and get some soup! It’s rad!); and 2) the lobster-brie mac-and-cheese. I’ll never know if anything else is good there, because I’ll never order anything else, and you can’t make me.
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MielPhoto: Daniel Meigs
Miel
343 53rd Ave. N.
Opening a restaurant where Sylvan Park meets The Nations seems like a great idea now, but in 2008, during a recession, it was tricky. Seema Prasad did it, creating a lovely neighborhood nook with complimentary amuse-bouches, rare wines and a picturesque patio that belies its location: just feet away from the dumpster at Bobbie’s Dairy Dip (which has been around for six decades and merits its own list). Many of Miel’s herbs come from its rooftop garden, which pulls double-duty, as it reduces the building’s energy needs. Always order the gnocchi (the city’s best fancy comfort food) and the happy-hour ramen, which will leave you full of roast pork and questions about how the hell a French spot is turning out Japanese broth that good.
The Picnic Cafe
4320 Harding Pike
Ladies who frequent the Picnic are their own little cult, like people who do Orangetheory or own Jeeps. Stepping inside is like stepping back in time — not just 36 years to when Kathy Bonnet opened the place, but back to when VIP treatment for loyal customers was the norm, which I wholeheartedly support. If I walk into The Centennial, I’ll have a beer in my hand in less than a minute, even if five Chads are in line in front of me. The same is true for the Picnic ladies and pimento cheese. Bypass them and hit the to-go case for ham salad, artichoke dip, Chicken Divan (a decadent broccoli-cheese affair) and a gallon of Picnic Punch, aka “fruit tea,” aka liquid diabetes. It makes for fine drinking, especially mixed 1:1:1 with ginger ale and vodka. The more you know.
Rae’s Gourmet Sandwich Shoppe
501 Union St.
Downtown, the die-hards have lined up at Rae’s for lunch for more than 20 years. I ate hot, hearty sandwiches and flavorful soups there daily when I worked in the Capitol, a time in my life when only the best comfort food would do. (Nothing makes you feel more and less like you need a hug at the same time than being a 20-something female working alongside our state legislators.) The sandwiches are as fun to eat as to order — Beastie Boy, Magic Mushroom or Wicked Chicken, which is my favorite with chipotle-marinated chicken, green chilies and cheese. If you’re there on Thursday, add a cup of rich, spicy beer cheese soup for $2 and change.
Manny’s House of Pizza
15 Arcade Alley
Only downtown (and only on weekdays) will you find Manny’s House of Pizza. Owned by Adele and Manny Macca, the Arcade joint has been serving Sicilian-style slices since 1984, which means they’ll see our 10-year bet and raise us one spinoff: Joey’s House of Pizza, which was started by Manny’s brother. He came down from Brooklyn in ’88 to work for Manny before opening his own shop, now on Elm Hill Pike. At Manny’s, you can’t go wrong with a Jim Ridley-endorsed pepperoni roll, a piece of hot-’n’-ready pie and a Budweiser — nothing feels more decadent than a lunchtime beer and slice.
Cinco de Mayo
358 White Bridge Road
I feel like this pick will be controversial, but I don’t care. Yes, East Nashville — Rosepepper is an institution, but they get press, so pass the ball! Cinco’s Carlos Figueroa has been quietly serving Mexican-American classics on White Bridge Road since 2000. The staff is endlessly patient. (I once saw a toddler dump a pitcher of water on the floor while looking a server dead in the eye. The server just smiled.) I adore the cheese dip, nachos and pollo fundido, a gluttonous chicken-rice situation drowned in cheese dip. Wash that down with a 32-ounce Dos Equis or neon-green margarita — which is absolutely made from a mix — and tell me you’re not happy.
The Wild Cow
1896 Eastland Ave.
These days you can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a vegan (pardon the expression). But The Wild Cow opened before East Nashville had such prominent vegan representation. Since 2009, owners Melanie and John Cochran have catered to the soy-seekers and the gluten-free. It’s not under the radar for hippies or health nuts, but carnivores like myself are slower on the uptake, and we shouldn’t be. Start with the stir-fry bowl, which is built with local veggies, garlicky kale, sesame/teriyaki BBQ sauce, crispy tofu and rice. It’s vegan food with training wheels.
Samuri Sushi Happy Roll0002
Samurai SushiPhoto: Daniel Meigs
Samurai Sushi
2209 Elliston Place
While Nashville is not known for sushi, there are exceptions, and among the biggest is Samurai’s Yun Choo. After emigrating from South Korea to Manhattan in the ’90s, he eventually made his way to Elliston Place, where he serves the world’s best ginger salad dressing (pineapple, carrots and mayonnaise? OK!) and the legendary Hawaiian roll: soy paper, fried shrimp, cream cheese, asparagus, ground nuts, eel sauce and mango. Sounds crazy, tastes great. Put simply, “Samurai Sushi is without question or argument the best sushi restaurant in Nashville.” Kay West wrote that in the Scene in 2003. Thankfully, some things never change.
