Uniquely delicious!

My frequent Partner in Dine, my mother, has a friend who recommended a lunch spot to us, Unique Flavors Cafe.  Tucked away in a commercial strip on Trousdale, the exterior does not exactly scream "Tasty food here!" but then strip malls tend to be pretty generic looking.  They have a fairly limited menu, which is fine by me, I'd rather you make a few things well than a 100 mediocre ones.  Their food selections are especially attractive during this long, hot summer we've been having, with cooling salads and fresh, surprising sandwiches.  They'll cool you off, or at least stop your stomach from doing flips at the thought of a hot, greasy burger in 90º heat!  Generally, I'm not a person to get sandwiches from a restaurant, the thought being that I could surely make the same, if not better, at home.  At Unique Flavors Cafe, however, they add that little something extra to make it special.  So far I have sampled the Steeplechase, the Grassmere, a pizza of the day (Muffaletta) & the Bella Bleu Salad and they have all rocked my face off!  I have tried both their brownies and their lemon bars and they were superb as well.  The brownies are rich and fudgey without being overwhelming and lemon bars are so very light & lemony! (I often feel that lemon foods are always too light on the lemon flavor, these are juuuuust riiiight!)    The employees are nice and the atmosphere is welcoming and relaxed, but could probably use a little bit of polish.  Honestly though I'd eat these sandwiches in an unair-conditioned, cinder block room if necessary.  Affordable, quick and convenient I would highly recommend it to anyone.  They have recently expanded their hours and are offering dinner, I can't wait to go there in the evening and give that a try!

Farewell, sweet Kabobs...

My favorite place for Persian food is no more.
Hot Kabobs has closed its doors, not because of lack of interest, a drop in quality or money problems, but because the owner's other restaurant, Porta Via, is doing so well they can't keep up with both.  I have only had someone's left overs from Porta Via and I really have to say that I'd rather have the chicken Low Fat/Low Carb plate from Hot Kabobs any time.  Flat bread, feta and fresh cilantro...hearty stews bursting with surprises like sun-dried limes...that mysteriously addictive seasoning on the chicken...PERSIAN ICE CREAM!!!  Oh, the humanity! 
I am currently on the hunt for a new Persian restaurant to frequent, if you have any hot tips, please let me know!

Put a Fork in It!

So thanks to the benevolent patronage of my friend Danielle, retired chef and frequent Partner in Dine, I was able to attend this year's Iron Fork competition.  To be honest, I was really there for the full on gourmet grazing that it afforded and not so much for the competition itself.  There was a lot of Tuna Tar-Tar to be had (3 booths to my recollection) and it was pretty good all 3 times, but 360 Bistro was the best by far.  Urban Flats was the poorest showing (still pretty good) but they must throw a ton of salt on their food because both Danielle & I had a case of the Michelin Man Hands after we ate there. (They were our last stop, so it could have been others, but I doubt it)  The big standouts for me came down to 2 places, the first was Jimmy Carl's Lunchbox, who provide the food for the Station Inn and Fleur de Lis Flavors snowballs, a New Orleans style snowball stand.

In a place where Whitt's consistently (and mysteriously) wins Best BBQ, I was beginning to wonder if anyone in Nashville knew what good barbeque was.  Apparently, Jimmy Carl does.  Moist, tender and delicious it stood out at a competition where there was more than one place offering BBQ.  The sample was so good I almost immediately turned around for another helping despite the fact that the top button of my pants may have flown off and taken out someone's eye and any moment.  I cannot wait to tuck into a huge plate of the stuff at my earliest convenience.  Jimmy Carl can fill my lunch box any time. (and no, that's not as dirty as it sounds)

The place that really had me talking up a storm at the event and after the fact, was Fleur de Lis.  I don't know that I had ever had a snowball, (NOT to be confused with a snow CONE) New Orleans style or otherwise, but I can tell you now I will have another! (and another, and another...)  The fresh faced and friendly proprietress of Fleur de Lis was quick to correct my faux pas when I first called them snow cones.  Rather than finely crushed ice as in a snow cone, a snowball uses shaved ice and offers the option of adding either sweet cream or condensed milk to your typical (and in some cases not-so-typical) flavors.  I had lemon with cream (heavenly) and tamarind with condensed milk (delightful) and if I had not felt like a hog, I would have gone back and tried a few more flavors.  Light, cooling and utterly delicious, I highly recommend a trip to the Nashville Farmer’s market as the days get warmer.  They also have a mobile cart, so expect them to show up at local events and festivals.

Sadly my Partner in Dine and I slipped out once our bellies were full and a pleasant dozey feeling had set in.  Food that I get to smell, almost touch, watch being meticulously prepared and plated, but then have no chance of eating holds no interest for me, but if you want the results of the actual competition, please check out the Nashville Scene's article.

Jimmy Carl's Lunch Box
402 12th Avenue South
Nashville, TN 37203
615-788-2967



Fleur de Lis Flavors
900 Rosa Parks Blvd
Nashville TN 37208
615-351-6109

Herb Sale

While I understand that this won't do you a whole lot of good now that the event has passed, just file it under "Things to Look for Next Year."

The Herb Society of Nashville's annual Herb Sale went down last Saturday and by all accounts it was a smashing success.  You may ask yourself, "But Fat Girl, why should we care about a bunch of plants?"
Because you can eat 'em, that's why!

With the recent surge of interest in home gardening, eating local and generally spending less money on food it seems like a no brainer to go and get some fresh herb seedlings to grow big & strong and season all those zucchini & tomatoes you'll be growing this year.  The difference in buying them at this sale rather than going to Lowe's or even your local nursery is the selection of hard to find & common plants.  Not to mention that this is put on by a group of men & women who sleep, eat, work & dream herbs.  You have questions?  They have answers.  Do you get enough sun to grow this?  What about drainage?  What's the difference between an annual & a perennial?  They've got all of those answers and more.
Be forewarned, it is an all-out zoo in there, people line up very early to get a prime spot when the doors open at 9 am.  Your fellow shoppers are more or less friendly & polite, but in a crowd that large, all trying to get their hands on stuff before they run out, it can get a little hairy.  The Herb Society posts a preliminary list of herbs that will be available (or at least that they plan to have, flukes of weather or greenhouse mishaps may cause a few varieties to not make an appearance) that you can make a print of and circle the ones that you are most interested in.  The herbs are sorted in alphabetical order by their common name and there are plastic trays available.  My mother took me along this year, she is an old hand at this, but this was my first year, so let me offer some advice.  Definitely make the list, if you don't know what you're after you will be completely overwhelmed and will likely get run over by people who are tired of waiting on you.  In fact I would recommend that you come with a team, in matching jumpsuits with walkie-talkies.  Barring that ask a friend to come along and you can split up with half the list each, meet up and then divide who wants what and check out.  I'd also say that while they offer some containers to put plants in, bring your own, but if you have some sort of wagon or rolling cart, LEAVE IT IN THE CAR!  It's rude and dangerous to drag a cart around there, people are crushed together trying to see what's on the tables they are not searching the floor for your son's Radio Flyer and I speak from experience when I say that it is the perfect height to smash up your shins AND trip you.  Speaking of your sons (and daughters for that matter) please consider that there are a tremendous amount of people jostling and rushing about, unless you are prepared to carry your child on your shoulders the whole time, this is exactly a safe place for them to be.
So I know after all that it seems like a daunting task just to have fresh herbs in your garden, but the prices and selection just can't be beaten, not to mention the amount of expertise there for the asking.
Keep an eye on their events calendar for next year's sale & hopefully I'll see you there!

Fat Girl road trip

Now I have to start off by saying that it normally drives me up a wall when something is "of Nashville" or "about Nashville" and then they proceed to talk about events and businesses in Franklin or Gallatin or any number of surrounding towns.  These places are not part of Nashville, a business in Spring Hill can not be one of the best in Nashville, it just can't!  You know why?  Because it is not in Nashville, that's why!

All that being said, I'm going to be a bit of a hypocrite and take The Fat Girls' Food Guide to Nashville a little southeast of here to Murfreesboro.  As part of a trip to visit the fine ladies at Mesh Boutique who kindly ply my crafty wares, my friends and I decided to make a day of it and get some lunch at Marina's on the square.  A charming little restaurant that exudes a homey vibe and a general sense of well being, with prompt & friendly service. My friend Amanda first turned me on to Marina's, unfortunately I was flat broke the first time I went and just got a salad. (and huge, delicious salad mind you, but a salad nonetheless)  This time I went prepared to chow down and had a couple of friends in tow so that we could share with one another.  I had a dish called Dante's Inferno made with chorizo, japaleños & penne pasta with a spicy cream sauce.  It was good and spicy, not too overwhelming with the flavors blending perfectly.    My friend Rachel got the spinach stuffed shells which were firm (not overcooked as is often the case at other places) and savory with a hint of sweetness from the ricotta cheese.  Danielle got the eggplant parmesan, which was perfectly crispy and not at all greasy.  Add to that a bottle of wine, loads of delicious bread, Caesar & garden salads and the world's largest "small" antipasto bowl and we were pleasantly stuffed when we finally got up to leave.

Like I said we were stuffed, but I know very few ladies, stuffed or not, that can pass by a banner that says "Fresh Chocolate-dipped Strawberries" and not stop in and investigate.  This is how we found ourselves at The Country Gourmet.  Full of local products, especially those of the edible variety, this shop is definitely worth a visit, but for me the main attraction is the candy case.  The glorious, magical candy case.  Rarely have I had such well balanced and delicious chocolates.  My favorite by far was the smoked sea salt, dark chocolate caramel, it is everything you want from a salty/sweet candy.  I popped it in my mouth as soon as I got out of the store and I almost turned right around and bought more!  Other favorites were the Dulce de Leche, which in addition to the creamy caramel center had a cream cheese flavored topping with yet more smoked sea salt, and the Mocha Madness that had ground toasted espresso beans in the filling, as well as one whole bean in the center.  Neither my friends nor I got anything that was less than excellent there and I am waiting to hear back from my friend Danielle when she gets around to using her non-candy counter purchased sauces & dressings.  The Country Gourmet website has a message that says they should have an online catalog up soon, but in the meantime I highly recommend that you make a day of it, grab some friends, do some shopping and totally pig out at these two fine purveyors of deliciousness!

Marina's on the Square
125 North Maple Street
Murfreesboro, TN 37130
615-849-8881‎



The Country Gourmet
107 East Main Street
Murfreesboro, TN 37130
615-896-3634

Sweet CeCe's will make you say, "Oh, how sweet it is!"

I am not normally one to go out for frozen yogurt (one does not cultivate the moniker of "Fat Girl" eating fat free ice cream substitutes!), but when the 2nd branch of the local chain Sweet CeCe's opened up right around the corner, my Partner in Dine & I decided to pay them a visit.
We were not disappointed!

I normally don't go in for non-fat, but these frozen treats are as creamy & delightful as any ice cream and the selection of serve yourself toppings has no match.  Fresh fruit, crushed cookies, chunks of real cheesecake, cereals, chocolate covered espresso beans, the list goes on & on.  And while a lot of these toppings may be in direct conflict with eating a fat-free dessert, a couple of chocolate chips here and there never killed anyone.  And if you're like me you may end up with more toppings in your cup than actual yogurt!  Now be aware that they charge by the ounce, so going the "let's try a little bit of everything" route can get a bit pricey, but it's very easy to get an affordable lo-fat treat if you don't go berzerk. (says one who speaks from experience!)  It's a great place to take the kids because they get to pour their own yogurt (if they're tall enough to reach the handles) and load up their own toppings, there's nothing kids like better than getting to be a big girl or boy and do it themselves.
Always neat and clean no matter how many people are jostling for frozen delights, the staff is always friendly and they always have the cutest seasonal displays.  They even have a rewards card where you can work your way to free frozen yogurt with enough punches.

Sweet CeCe's Belle Meade
4322 Harding Pike, Suite 103
Nashville, TN 37205
615.383.1711
info@sweetceces.com

Sweet CeCe's Franklin
 500 Main Street
Franklin, TN 37064
615.807.1412
info@sweetceces.com

Don't call it a comeback!

As of St. Patrick's Day, Mas Tacos is back in business for the season and today was the first day that I could catch up to them for lunch.  Over the winter Theresa has made some obvious improvements to the "Tacobego" and the food is even better than I remembered!

Is that even possible?!!?!

The menu is more or less the same, with old favorites and variations on them.  She was offering cantaloupe agua fresca (as opposed to the old standard, watermelon, which is delightful & refreshing) today but ran out 2 people ahead of me, I'll have to get there sooner next time! (and let that be a lesson to the rest of ya'!)  I don't know whether a long winter of taco longing made everything taste that much better or if she spent the cold season in her taco labs refining and creating even more delicious taco treats, but if you didn't get around to trying Mas Tacos last year, don't let another day slip by without stopping by!

Gracias, indeed!

Damn fine cup of coffee!

Like Special Agent Dale Cooper, I am a sucker for a good cup of coffee, so I have to drop a quick note to recommend Crema in downtown Nashville.  I stopped on a whim while on my way somewhere else and was delighted with the delicious cup of coffee that I got.  I ordered a caramel latte which is my usual everywhere else only to find out that they don't truck with those chemically syrups & silly flavorings.  (they do however have REAL chocolate and vanilla) She recommended a Cuban, which is made with sweeten condensed milk as a worthy substitute.  It was marvelous, good to the very last drop.  And unlike my lattes made with syrups, this didn't separate as the day went on leaving me with a god awful gulp of chemical aftertaste at the end of my cup. Their focus is 100% on good quality, good tasting coffee and they are not shy about not offering what everyone else has, because they know that what they're making, they're making it right!
My only complaint is that their location is not in any way convenient to me.

Crema
15 Hermitage Ave
Nashville, TN 37210
615-255-8311

The more you know...

This is less of a review and more of a "Huh, I had no idea..." informational type thing...
Apparently here in the great state of Tennessee there are many, many people cultivating freshwater shrimp.  Not being a big fan of seafood (can you call it sea food if it doesn't come from the sea?) I still find a big, plump, fresh shrimp to be a thing of beauty.  But being landlocked they are few and far between, so I was thrilled to discover their local, freshwater cousins are being raised right in my backyard!  For more info check out the Pick Tennessee Products website and be sure to check the list of freshwater shrimp producers!

You will never forget The Smiling Elephant

Today my Partner in Dine (aka Mom) tried The Smiling Elephant: Best Pad Thai Restaurant for lunch and I am still floating on a cloud of delight more than a day afterward.  The first thing that you notice upon stepping inside is the wave of delightful smells from the open kitchen.  Olive oil, fresh chili peppers, herbs, the list of delightful smells goes on and on, but they were by no means overwhelming, just maddeningly delicious.  In fact assuming that I had a full tummy, I would love to spend and afternoon sipping tea and just smelling The Smiling Elephant's kitchen.  The second thing that you will notice is the warm, blond wood that covers almost every available surface.  Apparently Sam, the owner, has spent the last 3 years crafting the interior of the restaurant by hand and it shows.  While it is foreign to western eyes, the homey vibe transcends any cultural barriers and invites you to settle in and get comfortable.  There are serene images of the Buddha, colorful pictures of daily life in Thailand and hand painted Thai signs adorning every wall.  We were greeted as soon as we walked in and it became apparent that everyone that works there is friendly and happy in what they do.  We were directed to choose our own seat in the tiny, but lovely dining room.

     The emphasis at The Smiling Elephant is on their food being light, fresh & healthy in a warm, friendly environment.  This is the first restaurant that I have ever been to that makes the offer of custom dishes if they have the ingredients, this should be bonus for the hardcore Thai food junkies out there.  I was just excited to try what is already on the menu as many of the dishes I have never heard of before.  They have, compared to other Thai restaurants in town, a limited menu.  This is not to say that there isn't something for everyone on it and to be honest it makes the decision making process much easier when you are being driven half-mad by all the delicious smells emanating from the kitchen.  A smaller menu also means that what they do make, they make very, very well. We started with fresh rolls, which are always a favorite of mine, but these were particularly delicious.  They were served precut into bite-sized pieces and top with some sort of mystery vegetable that honestly I meant to inquire about, but I was too busy stuffing my face to remember to do so!  They offer the option of just ordering an entree or what they call a "set," which is vegetarian soup (add $1 for meat), an entree and dessert.  I opted for a set, while mom got just the entree, I ordered the Pad Kra Pao, a spicy pork dish, and mom had the Gai Yang, a sweet & sour chicken dish, both were amazing.  For my soup I got Tom Kha, their version being less milky than others that I have had and including far more vegetables.  The layers of flavor in this soup made me sad when it was all gone, I was half tempted to lick the bowl, but I managed to restrain myself.  The entrees arrived quickly, piping hot and fresh, we gleefully dug in an barely had time to mumble out a garbled & emphatic "Good!" in between bites.  We shared with one another after the initial wave of unrestrained hunger washed away and were both pleased with what the other had.  Again the layers of flavor are what blew me away.  The fresh lime, cilantro & garlic worked so well together, but I could taste them individually as well.  I always find it amazing how in really good, fresh Thai food there can be so many tastes in one dish and it never seems to overwhelm.  The other magic of my entree was the fried egg that came with it.  You can ask anyone, I'm not really an egg person, but this little guy was a gift from heaven.  I'm not sure that I understand how they were able to make the white so fluffy and still keep the yolk runny and delicious, it must be an ancient Thai secret.  I never knew how good a fried egg with spicy, savory food could be, not only does it take some of the heat out of the dish, but it blends seamlessly with the rest of the food on my plate.  Marvelous!  I periodically had to remind myself to stop and really enjoy every bite, it was so delicious it took everything I had not to cram it all in my mouth at once. (I'm an instant gratification kind of gal)
     After I had finished my entree it was time for dessert which I had very much been looking forward to, Jack Fruit with milk & syrup!  Now I have only ever seen Jack Fruit in the Asian market, I've never purchased one because they are enormous and frankly look like something that an alien pod creature bent on world domination would come out of and try to eat my brain.   (the picture of the Jack Fruit to the right is to give you some scale)  That being said,  I was extremely curious as to how they tasted, I mean a fruit the size of a small child is quite an investment when you don't know what you're getting.  I was not disappointed, the Jack Fruit dessert was the perfect finish to my meal.  The Jack Fruit tastes like tender, very fresh, sweet cantaloupe with a lemony/citrus taste.  It's served over ice with coconut milk which is light and cooling, just perfect if maybe you overdid it with the chili peppers.
     I could not have been more pleased with the service, the atmosphere or the food at The Smiling Elephant, every last detail has been see to in this charming establishment and I would give it a resounding thumbs up to anyone who asks.  It is obvious that this is a labor of love for Sam & his wife, a dream finally realized that they graciously share with anyone who walks through their front door.  They have a gong by the door with a note that says, "If you like the food, hit the Gong!"  If I could have, I would have played The Carol of the Bells on that thing on my way out, I had to settle for a single clear note and a cheer from the kitchen as I walked out the door.

 

The Smiling Elephant: Best Pad Thai Restaurant

2213 8^th Ave South
Nashville, TN 37204
(615) 891-4488
follow them on Twitter!

Country Cafe

I am a sucker for a good Meat & 3, one doesn't get the moniker "Fat Girl" without eating your fair share of chicken fried steak and gravy soaked mashed potatoes! In this town I could give you a list of Meat & 3's to frequent a mile long, but rarely have I eaten at one that manages to fail in every aspect of their food and service.
Country Cafe at 605 Murfreesboro Pike managed a food fail of epic proportions yesterday when my mother (my frequent Partner in Dine) & decided to give it a shot on our lunch break. Let me first say that their street signage is an abomination to the eyes and the sensibilities of every person whose ever so much as dabbled in graphic design or likes signs to be legible. We almost didn't find it because of this and to be honest so much the better if we hadn't.
The place is a dingy little dive (which I generally have no problem with, see Wendall Smith's & Hermitage Cafe as examples) with duct taped vinyl seats and greasy grime in every nook & cranny. We were not greeted when we entered although there were 3 employees on the floor and only 3 tables seated all of which were already eating. We sat down and were handed menus and silverware by a sour faced waitress who apparently immediately expected us to know what we wanted. (What is with that? Have you seen me before? Am I a regular who has memorized the menu?) She didn't even bother to mention that the items that were specific to the day were written on a dry erase board behind us and that they offered more than 3 entrees and 5 sides that were listed on the paper menu, apparently this very much a DIY restaurant. Long story short, we finally figured out what we wanted and ordered our food. It arrived in fairly short order which is about the best thing I can say about this experience it was quick. (as was the onset of intestinal distress, but I digest, um, er, digress) When our food arrived I immediately noticed how unappetizing and unattractive it was. Mom's turkey & dressing was a mass of puss yellow goo with meat shreds in it coating a grey-brown lump of bread & my 'honey ham" (saltier than most country ham BTW) was perfectly round like Bologna. The cole slaw was a bowl full of watery mayo with some cabbage floating in it and my green beans were almost completely devoid of any actual green. In addition everything was coated in a thick layer of grease, but amazingly it was all completely bland. (and as we all know fat/grease makes everything taste good, so I'm not really sure how this happened) The mac & cheese was watery & no amount of pepper seemed to give it any flavor, it was like a dull yellow black hole of taste! The cornbread was sweet & undercooked and the tea so sugary that I spontaneously developed diabetes as we ate. The entire time we ate the employees chatted loudly amongst themselves and with a regular customer and liberally peppered their conversation with racial slurs and obscenities.
As we left I told my mother that next time I would rather eat out of the dumpster at Luby's Cafeteria than come back here and I meant it.
Worst.
Meat & 3.
EVER.