4523 Nolensville Pike
Nashville, TN 37211
(615) 834-9989

A local restaurant started serving dim sum, so Jake and I joined some of my classmates to eat there this morning. This was only my second dim sum experience, but we really enjoyed it!

Some of the dishes we enjoyed (I think, thanks to Wikipedia ):

• Har gao (Shrimp dumpling)
  
• Shaomai
  
• Cha siu baau (Pork buns)
  
• Chicken feet
  
• Spare ribs
  
• Lo mai gai (Lotus leaf rice)
  
• Char siu sou
  
• Fu pei gyun (Tofu skin roll)
  
• Lo bak go (Turnip cake)
  

We had several other dishes that I can’t quite remember. One of the waitresses spoke English very well, and she explained the dishes, and we tried one of almost everything (except jellyfish, beef liver, and a few others). The best part is that the 7 of us only ended up paying $10 each, which included a generous tip. Although I’m not a dim sum expert, I would definitely recommend Ouyang House (which also had a very nice looking buffet) - I know that we will be trying it again.

416 21st Ave S
Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 327-4322

Earlier in the summer, we ate at SATCo several weeks in a row, and although it started as a joke, it has become somewhat of a summer Monday lunch tradition. For those who don’t know, I lived in Texas for about 10 years (6 as a young child, 4 for college). Because of my time in Texas, I have eaten some really great Tex Mex. Outside of Texas, it’s extremely hard to find tacos, enchiladas, and even salsa that I really enjoy. I’m not going to say that SATCo is on par with real Tex Mex, but I really enjoy eating there.

I order the same thing almost every time I eat at SATCo - two chicken fajita tacos with chips and queso. Mostly, I enjoy the chips and queso. The tacos are pretty decent - well-seasoned meat with good tortillas (not by Taco Cabana or Rosa’s standards, but good nonetheless). The chips are fresh and delicious, and the queso is pretty great. The pico de gallo and salsa are both really good and taste great with the chips. I’ve had other items from the menu, including beef tacos, chicken enchiladas, and the chicken taco salad. While I enjoy the salad, I can do without the tacos. The enchiladas are not bad, though I don’t typically prefer red sauce.

Though the food is good, one of the best things about SATCo is the atmosphere. They have a large deck, with fans and heaters to combat uncomfortable heat or cold and make eating outside enjoyable all year. They offer a nice selection of beer, and if you’re with a group or really thirsty you can order a bucket.

Although SATCo doesn’t quite compare to my favorite Tex Mex eatery, Taco Cabana, it’s a great place to eat with friends, and as long as I’m in Nashville, it’s my go-to spot for tacos and queso.

167 Rosa L Parks Blvd
Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 254-1277
http://www.thestandardnashville.com

For the third week in a row, I went to the wine tasting at The Standard. This week, the wines were from Spain:

• Las Brisas 2006
  Grilled Oranges with Wild Arugula Honey Poppy Seed Dressing
• Legar de Cervera, Albarino 2006
  Braised Pork with Onion and Cabbage
• Vega Sindoa, Cabernet-Tempranillo 2005
  Penne with Chicken Putaneska
• Earth 2.0, Tempranillo 2006
  Ox Tails with White Rice

I have to say - compared to the previous two weeks, I was disappointed. I enjoyed the wines, especially the albarino and the tempranillo. However, the appetizers left me wishing for the cinnamon cured duck or the beef au poivre from previous weeks. Everything was made well, and each dish was good, I just don’t think that any pairing wowed me as much as the pairings from our first two visits.

After the pairing, we stayed for some extra appetizers from the menu. I ordered the mirliton, since I loved it so much before, and a glass of the Domaine Carneros Pinot Noir. Jake ordered the Beef tenderloin carpaccio with creamy horseradish sauce, fried capers, and arugula, which we enjoyed. We also ordered dessert, Jake and I sharing bread pudding, and our friends sharing the peach cobbler. To our surprise, the portions were extremely generous! Both were delicious, and we left completely stuffed.

I’ve made my reservations for next week, and I’m really hoping that Chef Joe wows us again!

In case you missed it, read my previous two reviews on wine tasting at The Standard:
http://www.allisonmccoy.com/2008/05/23/the-standard/
http://www.allisonmccoy.com/2008/05/30/the-standard-2/

167 Rosa L Parks Blvd
Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 254-1277
http://www.thestandardnashville.com

Since we enjoyed our first wine tasting at The Standard so much, some girlfriends and I decided to return yesterday evening. The menu included 4 french wines paired with appetizers:

• Les Tuileries, White Bordeaux, Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon 2006
  Breton Style Little Neck Clams Steamed with White Wine, Garlic, and Onion with Fresh Thyme and French Bread
• Domaine Gayda L’Archet, Cuvee Occitane, Grenache Blanc-Marsanna-Roussane 2005
  Grilled Jumbo Asparagus with Crab Hollandaise and Pecans
• Louis Latour, Le Bourgogne Rouge, Pinot Noir 2005
  Braised Pork with Apples
• Chateau Mont Redon, Cotes du Rhone, Syrah-Grenache 2004
  Beef Tenderloin au Poivre

The wine broker attended the pairing as well, and shared some really great information about each wine. As with last week, chef Joe Shaw explained each dish and his thought process as he paired it with the wine. While I really enjoyed each pairing, the last pairing was my favorite. The spice of the beef matched the wine really well, and absolutely delicious.

Unfortunately, the courtyard was closed for some construction, so we opted not to stay for additional drinks and appetizers. This afternoon I will be making my reservations for next week though, and I look forward to trying more great food and wine!

In case you missed it, read my review from last week’s wine tasting at The Standard here:
http://www.allisonmccoy.com/2008/05/23/the-standard/

1200 Clinton St.
Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 320-0290
http://www.yazoobrew.com

We have been meaning to go visit the Yazoo Brewery for a while, so yesterday Jake and I, along with a couple of friends, went on the tour. For $6, you get a tour of the brewery, a pint glass, and samples. The tours are given on Saturdays at 2:30, 3:30, 4:30, and 5:30.

On the outside, the Yazoo Brewery isn’t much to look at. It is located in the Marathon Motor Works building downtown. To get in on the tour, you’ll need to visit the the Tap Room inside and sign up. I don’t want to give away too many details, because I think everybody should go visit on their own. You’ll get a great history of how the brewery was started, learn about the beer-making process and see where it all happens, learn about the different beers Yazoo makes, and taste a few of their most popular brews. The tour isn’t incredibly long, but we enjoyed it, and our tour guide was really friendly, funny, and helpful.

After the tour, we headed back to the Tap Room for (of course) some more beer. We got a few samplers to share, which included 5 oz. samples of their Dos Perros, Pale Ale, IPA, Hefeweizen, Porter, and Stout. Normally I prefer not to drink any of these styles. However, fresh from the tap these were a lot better than any I’ve had at local bars. The sampler was a great way to try everything, and it cost $8. If you know what you like, pints are $4. They also had some cheese and bread selections available to order.

One other thing to note - if you really enjoy the Yazoo brews, you can take some to-go in one of three forms: a half-gallon growler for $11 ($8 refills), a sixth-barrel keg for $50, or a half-barrel/full keg for $140. We had a great time, and we will definitely go back for both the tour and for drinks in the Tap Room.

Here are some pictures that we took:

167 Rosa L Parks Blvd
Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 254-1277
http://www.thestandardnashville.com

Some friends and I recently heard about a wine tasting event at The Standard on Thursday nights for $5, so we decided to try it out last night. The menu included four wines from Mendoza, Argentina paired with appetizer plates. The wines and appetizers were incredible, and all very well paired. Chef Joe Shaw took time with each to help us understand why he made the pair, and in general why each wine went well the type of food.

The pairings included:

• Trivento Torrontes, Mendoza 2006
  Raw Apalachicola Oyster with Ganache Rose Mignonette
• Terrazas Chardonnay, Mendoza 2006
  Shrimp and Corn Fritter with Cherry Tomato Salsa
• Crois de Susana Balbo Cabernet Sauvignon, Mendoza 2004
  Cinnamon Cured Duck Breast with Black Cherry Sauce and Cream Grits
• Diseno Malbec, Mendoza 2005
  Veal Marsala with Wild Mushrooms and Garlic Custard

We enjoyed the wine tasting so much that we decided to stay for more. Owner Joshua Smith treated us to a tour of the beautiful house, and then we headed out to the newly renovated courtyard. We ordered a bottle of wine (Bollini Pinot Grigio) and a couple of appetizers to share. I was very excited to try the fried mirliton with andouille sausage, Louisiana crawfish, and hollandaise sauce. As with all of the food from the wine tasting, this was delicious, and I would highly recommend it. We also ordered the artichoke crab meat and goat cheese salad on grilled potato bread. This was pretty tasty, though not quite as great as the mirliton.

Overall, we really enjoyed The Standard. The wine and food were all amazing. However, while the wine tasting was a great deal, the menu prices are steep. Soups and salads range $5-8, appetizers range $10-14, and entrees range $18-30. Wines range $8-15 by the glass, $30 and up by the bottle. The lunch menu looks great as well, and is more reasonably priced. We will definitely continue to attend the wine tastings, and I would recommend lunch or dinner to anyone who has a larger budget.

The Nashville Scene recently reviewed The Standard, and you can read their article here:
http://www.nashvillescene.com/Stories/Columns/Dining/2008/05/15/Setting_a_New_Standard/

73 White Bridge Rd
Nashville, TN 37205
(615) 352-0120

One of the things that Jake and I really enjoy doing together is going out to eat. I thought it would be really fun to review the restaurants we visit on this site.

We had been craving some Greek food lately, and since we had to run some errands in the White Bridge area, we decided to stop by Kebab Gyro. We’ve been there a couple of times before, after finally being willing to branch out from Kalamata’s where we usually get Greek. It’s a small place across from Target, and it’s closed on Sundays (we tried to go several times before we finally found them open). Our first two visits were Saturday lunches, and we were usually the only guests inside. Last night for dinner, however, quite a few people stopped by to eat in or take food to-go. So far we’ve tried the gyros sandwich, gyros plate, chicken sandwich, and hummus. The gyros are absolutely delicious! The pitas are possibly the best I’ve had in Nashville, the tzatziki sauce is great, and the meat is some of the best I’ve ever had. The sandwiches are stuffed very full as well. The chicken sandwich was really tasty, but not quite as good as the gyros. The plate comes with meat, rice, salad, and a pita, and is also great. We saw some other customers order the kebabs, and I think we’ll try those next because they looked so good. Unfortunately, the hummus was not very good at all. It was runny, and it really tasted like it was missing something.

Despite the poor quality hummus, we’ll definitely keep going back for the gyros. Even better, it’s reasonably priced, and the two of us can eat for $12 - $16.