The building at 4014 Hillsboro Circle has long been regarded as a cursed location for restaurants; presented in court, one might offer as evidence Exhibits A through D: H.R.H. Dumplin's, Boston Market, Belle Meade Brasserie and, most recently, Jack Russell's. That it sits on one of the most highly trafficked streets in bustling Green Hills, and next door to one of the most consistently successful eateries in the city—Green Hills Grille—makes the failures all the more curious.
When word got out that Jack Russell's investors Tom Loventhal, Mary Loventhal Jones and Jeff Kuhn had decided to put that dog to sleep, it came as no surprise. It was the follow-up news that was a forehead-slapping moment: in its place, they would open a second location of the immensely successful Noshville Delicatessen. Duh!
Moments after Jack closed for the final night on Nov. 29, work began on the overhaul, and on Jan. 24 Noshville II opened, cleansed of the bad spirits of restaurants past, shiny and bright, full of the comforting aroma of corned beef, pastrami, sauerkraut, matzo ball soup, roasted chicken, pot roast, latkes, knishes, bagels and lox.
The room is about a third smaller than the Broadway store—118 seats as opposed to 160, all of them occupied and requiring a short wait during busy lunches and Saturday and Sunday breakfast/brunching hours. The menu, though, is an exact replica of the original; kitchen manager Keith Wilcox made the move from midtown to Green Hills to make sure the execution followed suit. In the front of the house, Rena Levine has assumed the position of assistant GM, which she also held on Broadway; company GM Glen Smith oversees all. Expect to run into Tom, Mary and Jeff once or twice a week at the new store, which so far is showing every sign of finally breaking the curse.
Hours are 6:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Mon.; 6:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Tues.-Thurs.; 6:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Fri.; 7:30 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Sat.; 7:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Sun.
