For nearly a quarter-century, Arnold’s Country Kitchen—widely regarded as the best meat-and-three in town—has been feeding the most diverse cross-section of Nashvillians to be found anywhere outside of Metro courts. For the first 15 of those years, the cinderblock building on Eighth Avenue South served a hearty breakfast and a heaping helping of morning news and local gossip to commuters on their way to downtown offices. When Rose Arnold took a job at Vanderbilt for a few years, they cut back the hours to lunch only, leaving their breakfast customers at the mercy of quick marts and donut stores. Sometime within the next six weeks, Arnold’s will again begin catering to early risers, as son Kahlil Arnold has talked his father—sort of—into bringing bacon and eggs back to the menu. Kahlil’s beautiful and bubbly mother reports that Captain Jack has been reluctant. “Everytime Kahlil and I talk about it,” Rose says, “he just walks away, or he goes fishing. He’s been fishing a lot lately. But Kahlil is determined. He’s been cooking here since he could walk. I must have fired him a million times. But he’s so cute I keep hiring him back, and for the last three years, he’s been very steady in the kitchen, so we’re going to try it.” Rose Arnold says the morning meal will include items that can be kept warm on the steam table as well as dishes made to order. She expects they will open at 7 a.m. Monday through Friday, and they’ll keep the home fries comin’ till 10, then take a short break to turn around the line and reopen for lunch at 10:30 as usual. Arnold’s Country Kitchen is at 605 Eighth Ave. S. Phone: 256-4455. Bean me up, Aubrey Aubrey Bean’s plans to open a Texas-style dance hall next door to his barbecue joint on 12th Avenue South are temporarily on hold as the loquacious restaurateur recovers from double knee replacement surgery that has kept him off his feet for nearly three weeks. Bean was on his way back to Music City from the Lone Star State, where he had been scouting bands, when it became clear he needed to attend to the recurring pain no amount of Corona could ease. “The wooden dance floor was laid before I went in the hospital,” Bean reports from home. “But we stopped work when I had surgery. I can’t supervise from bed. I’m doing really well, and think I’ll be back by next week.” Right now, only wine and beer are available, but a liquor license is in the works, and by the end of the month, the booze should be flowing. And the pile of lumber currently sitting out back will soon become an outdoor deck. Bean has also added a burger to the beef barbecue, burrito and taco lineup. “I love hamburgers so much I should have been called Wimpy. This one is 8 ounces. We add jalapeno juice to the meat before we pat them out and it’s got everything on it, including grilled chipotle peppers. It’s got a kick to it.” Texas two-steppers can expect to kick it around Judgment Hall by the end of September; live music continues in the restaurant Wednesday through Saturday nights. Judge Bean’s Bar-B-Que is at 123 12th Ave. S. Phone: 244-8884. Deal a meal The Nashville Originals, the group of independent Nashville restaurants that came together late last year to encourage support of locally owned, chef-driven businesses, is staging its second gift certificate sale. (There are four annually.) The first sale was a tremendous success, with most certificates snatched up in the first 24 to 48 hours, though there were still some available several days later. Certificates are provided by each of the 30 member restaurants (they must have been open one year to join) at a 33 to 40 percent discount. Among those participating will be Bound’ry, Cabana, Caffe Nonna, Germantown Café, Jimmy Kelly’s, mAmbu, Midtown, Mirror, Park Café, Rumba, Sunset Grill, tayst, Tin Angel, Wild Iris, Yellow Porch, Provence, Zola, MafiaOza’s, South Street and Jackson’s. The sale begins Wednesday, July 12. Go online to ww.nashvilleoriginals.com to get your meal deal, as well as view menus from member restaurants and other dining news.
