A while back I gave you the heads up about the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel renovation and the new Southern brasserie-style restaurant and bar that were to come. Well, now Mason’s Restaurant and Mason Bar are open for business, and last week I had the pleasure of sampling a bit of the menu. My thoughts? Let’s just say I’m already planning my next visit and you all should put it on your short list of things to do!

For years my husband and I have had a recurring conversation so many times… there are no good hotel bars in Nashville. We travel from city to city and have hung out in some really cool hotel bars – San Francisco, Chicago, L.A., NYC, Minneapolis, etc, etc. Why does Nashville not have a single one? Sure, I like to visit the Oak Bar at the Hermitage from time to time. But that’s not the kind of space I’m talking about. When the Hutton Hotel opening was on the horizon, I thought for sure that would be the new cool bar. Nope. I mean, the bar is nice enough, but it’s tiny. Not the kind of place I’d been waiting for.

With the opening of Mason Bar, it has finally happened! Nashville now has a hip hotel bar with incredible cocktails. And plenty of space for mingling. It’s big. It’s cool. It’s a place I, as a local, want to go hang out. Not only are the drinks amazing, but the food is fantastic as well.

Mason’s Fried Green Tomatoes
crab, field peas, feta, smoked pepper aioli

Months ago, when I first heard of the restaurant concept the hotel was working on, and that they were looking for a chef, Brandon Frohne is the person that immediately popped into my head. Brandon is a chef whose food has wowed me at many local competitions and events through the years. He’s bold. He’s competitive. He puts himself out there. I knew he would be perfect for what they were trying to accomplish.

Lo and behold, a few weeks later, the announcement was made – Brandon had been hired as Executive Chef!

I’m excited for him, I’m excited for the hotel and I’m excited for us. Mason’s is a great addition to the culinary scene here in Nashville and (being a little selfish here) it’s fairly close to my house, so an added plus! I foresee many dates nights/girls nights/happy hours/business meetings there in my future.

A Devil of an Egg at Mason’s Bar
bacon jam, mustard seed caviar

 The Food

During my visit last week, dish after dish was served and none disappointed. The “Jars” – small jars of pimento cheese, lima bean hummus and pepper jelly served with olive oil crackers- were a perfect starter for the evening. The fried green tomatoes were some of the best I’ve ever had. The crab corn dogs were delicious. The beef tartare on dill pollen chips were unique and interesting – in a good way!

But the “Devil of an Egg” was probably my favorite bite – or shall I say bites? Yeah, I ate at least 6. And I’m not ashamed.

Mason’s Crab Corn Dogs
with Mississippi Comeback Sauce

The Drinks

I’ve admitted before here on the blog that I’m a bit of a cocktail snob, and I’m happy to report that Mason’s has passed my libations test with flying colors. Favorites of the night included the Red Zone – a concoction of hot pepper infused Souza, Monin Habanero Lime, Aperol and lime juice – and the Front Porch – Ketel One vodka with house made watermelon soda. So refreshing. In fact, I’m looking forward to enjoying many of those this summer!

Mason’s Restaurant and Mason Bar

Loews Vanderbilt Hotel
2100 West End Ave
Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 321-1990
Mon – Sun: 6:30 am – 10:00 pm

Mason’s on Twitter
Mason’s on Facebook

Kings of Leon announce Music City Eats coming in September 2013

So I went to a press conference at City House just a couple of hours ago….

What I knew going in: it was an announcement for a food festival coming in September, the “brain child of the Kings of Leon and Chef Jonathan Waxman”, I’d been told. Hey, sounds good to me.

What I didn’t realize was really how BIG a deal this is going to be! Food & Wine is one of the sponsors. There are amazing chefs involved. Holy smokes. I am beyond excited. All I can say is – you better go buy tickets as soon as these suckers go on sale this Friday because it is gonna be the best food festival you’ve ever been too. Guaranteed. SERIOUSLY.

What:

Music City Eats

When:

September 21st and 22nd, 2013

Where:

Public Square, downtown Nashville

Who:

More Awesomeness Than I Can Handle.

Tom Colicchio (have I ever mentioned I love him?)

Giada (like Madonna, she only needs one name)

Michael Symon (maybe a little crush)

Jonathon Waxman

John Besh

Jon Shook and Vinny Dotolo (the Animal guys!)

plus many, many more national names plus some of my local loves…

Pat Martin of Martin’s BBQ

Cary Bringle aka Peg Leg Porker

Josh and Erik of the Catbird Seat

Deb Paquette of Etch

and more!

Go here to see a full list of the talent committed so far and to get more details.

Tickets on sale 5/17 at 10 a.m. CDT, click here to purchase

Mark your calendar. Buy your tickets. Like Music City Eats Facebook Page and/or Follow along on Twitter to keep up to date on all the news and happenings. Then go buy a couple pairs of stretchy pants (fashionable stretchy pants of course), and I’ll see you there!

8th and Roast “Try Our Food”

Saturday, May 11th
9 am – 1 pm

2108 8th Ave S
Nashville, TN 37204

$5/person

Eighth and Roast, opened last November by Lesa and Brad Wood of wholesaler Roast Inc., has become a much frequented spot for me. I often have meetings there, usually early morning, and I’m pretty much always hungry when I go (because I never seem to have much time to actually eat in the morning any more. That’s what having a kid does to you. Feed him, think about yourself later).

They’ve had a small selection of baked goods and quiches being brought in (the bacon cheddar scone -I think made by Dozen – is delicious), but sometimes I’d get there too late and my favorites would already be sold out. So when I heard the news that Chef Sam Tucker (previously of Watermark) had come on board and they are now serving breakfast and lunch seven days a week, I was pretty excited!

The seasonal, regularly changing menu is predominantly comprised of items made from locally sourced products, and includes pastries, breakfast sandwiches, quiches, salads and soups.

Mother’s Day Brunch by Carlos of Riffs

Sunday, May 12th
10:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Casa Azafran
2195 Nolensville Pike
Nashville, TN 37211

$26.50 adults
$12.50 children 10 and under
(gratuity not included)

30% of the ticket price goes to support the work of Conexión Américas

As soon as I saw the menu for Chef Carlos Davis’ special Mother’s Day brunch buffet, there was no doubt in my mind where this mom was going to be dining on Sunday morning!

He had me at Bleu Cheese Biscuits with Sorghum Butter. Okay, so it was really the Gulf Shrimp, Pork Belly and Smoked Tomato Grits. Then the Caramelized Banana Bread Pudding just took me over the edge. And that doesn’t even cover half of what he’ll be serving up! Check out the full menu here (and prepare to drool).

In case you’re not familiar with Carlos, he is one of the talented chefs behind Riffs Fine Street Food, a favorite food truck of mine. And FYI: in 2011, his shrimp and grits played a big role in Riffs being named on my Best Of list. They are seriously, seriously incredible.

Pre-purchase your tickets in advance here (I did!) to reserve your seat.

Generous Helpings

Thursday, May 16th
5:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Nashville Farmers’ Market
900 Rosa L Parks Boulevard
Nashville, TN

Cost:
$40 Advanced Ticket
$50 At-the-Door

I say it every year and I’ll say it again – Generous Helpings is one of my favorite food tasting events in Nashville. In 2009, it’s where I met Chef Jeremy Barlow for the first time and discovered the beauty of his food, specifically a Root Beer Braised Pork Bread Pudding with Sarsaparilla Creme and Sea Salt.

A friendship began and in 2010, I even volunteered to help him work behind the tayst table, serving up lamb nachos to attendees. In 2011, I was back on the other side of things, once again enjoying myself with friends and stuffing my face with good food. Sadly there was one amazing dish I missed out on that night though because they’d run out before I got around to their table: Stuffed Squash Blossoms from F. Scott’s.

I tell you this so you don’t make the same mistake I did. If others at an event tell you a dish is amazing, run – do not walk – straight to that spot and get it. Also, get there early. Be on a mission to eat. You can chat with friends later. Conquer food first!

(side note: I did eventually get to try those Squash Blossoms and they were every bit as fantastic as people said)

Head over to the Second Harvest website to see a full listing of this year’s participating restaurants and purchase tickets for the event.

If you’d like to try your luck at winning some FREE tickets, head over to my friends’ blogs: Lesley Eats and So How’s It Taste. Hurry though because their giveaways end later today (Lesley) and tomorrow (Leah/So How’s)!

Over the last couple of years, I’ve devoted a few blog posts to some of my favorite food trucks, but what I’ve written about doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of the choices that are out there.  Did you know there are over 30 active food trucks that make up the Nashville Food Truck Association? It seems like only yesterday that there was only one mobile food truck in town!

Then there were two or three. Then six. Back in those days, it obviously wasn’t too difficult to keep up with who was where on what day. But as more and more trucks hit the streets of Nashville, it became more and more of a pain to keep up with it all.

It meant stalking multiple Twitter feeds and Facebook pages. Some were good at posting their schedules in advance…some not so much so. Then came the Nashville Food Trucks website and Twitter account, awesome resources for navigating the food truck scene.

And now we’ve got something that makes it even easier to track them down: the Nashville Food Truck Association just launched a smart phone app! LOVE it.

With the touch of a finger, I can now see all food truck locations and event dates in one place!

Available on both iPhone and Android, you can locate trucks by name (screen shot above) as well by date (screen shot below). The schedule goes well into the future, so you can even plan ahead for upcoming food truck events.

In celebration of this big app launch, for the month of May, the group has kicked of the inaugural “Nashville Street Food Month.” All the trucks in the association are offering a one-time $1 discount on a purchase of  $10 or more to all customers who download the app and mention it at time of purchase.

The goal is to get everyone out to try a food truck during May. I don’t know about you, but I’ve got a pretty lengthy list of trucks I’ve been wanting to try, so I’m going to make it a point to hit at least one of them per week from now until May 31st!

blvd Salmon n’ Grits
House Bacon Ragu, Wilted Greens, Tabasco Gastrique

Do you see that work of art above? Believe me, it tastes just as good as it looks.

A few months back I was wallowing in sadness at the thought of one of my favorite Nashville restaurants closing. Cha Chah had been the spot for many delicious meals and happy occasions with friends over the past couple of years, and in my opinion, had some of the most interesting food in town. Whatever was I going to do?

Luckily Arnold (Myint – the chef/owner of Cha Chah, PM, Suzy Wong’s House of Yum, and AM@FM) wasn’t closing the doors for good, but instead locking up for just a few weeks to transform the restaurant space into a new bistro-bar-market concept. (Apparently the neighborhood wasn’t quite as enamored with the original concept as moi, and they were calling for something a little simpler, a little homier.) Thus, blvd Nashville was born.

Mediterranean Wedge at blvd
Iceberg, Local Feta, Tomato, House Bacon, Red Onion, Green Goddess Dressing

And while I will always miss Cha Chah, after several visits to blvd, it has earned a special place in my heart.

It’s more casual, yet it’s still cool. It’s a great spot for a date or dinner with a group of friends. And hopefully they won’t mind me saying this, but it’s also a place that you don’t have to feel weird taking your kids. (unless of course, your kids are holy terrors that will run wild through the restaurant)

Seriously, I’ve taken my little guy (15 months old) twice now, and the staff has been very accommodating. They have highchairs. People, I can’t tell you how happy this makes me because sometimes Mama suddenly has the urge to get out of the house for a nice meal but doesn’t have time to (or just doesn’t feel like putting forth the effort to) secure a babysitter for a couple of hours.

If it’s for dinner, I personally feel more comfortable going right at opening before the dinner rush hits, but I’ve seen others coming in later than that. My kiddo goes to bed at 7 though, so if we don’t get in there by 5 pm, we might have one of those holy terrors on our hands…and no one wants that!

blvd’s Madras Spiced Curry Fries

Okay, now let’s talk about the food.

On the night I got the delicious salmon and grits (the beauty at the start of this post), my friend got the Mac n’ Cheese Gratin with tomato confit, truffle oil, swiss, tontina moray, and pretzel crumbs. Yep. That’s about all I need to say about that.

And then there are the fries. You need to know that I don’t typically love french fries. I could take ‘em or leave ‘em. But at blvd, there is no leaving them. In fact, I’m not sure I could go there for lunch or dinner and not order some. “Le French Fries” come in various flavors:  Hickory Salt & Pepper, Truffle Oil & Chive, Spicy Habanero , Herbs de Provence, Pine Nut Pesto, and Madras Spiced Curry.

The Madras Spiced Curry rock my world, and even my 15-month old loves them! I really need to order the Habanero, as I’ve heard great things, but once I tried the Curry, I’ve had a tough time deviating from those.

Mushroom-Bacon Crockpot at blvd
Poached Egg, Toast Points

Something I’m absolutely thrilled about is that Arnold kept three of my favorite dishes from the Cha Chah menu, the Mushroom-Bacon Crock, the Warm Brussels Sprouts and the Top Chef Lamb Meatballs.

Now, if you never had those Brussels Sprouts and you think you don’t like Brussels Sprouts, I beg you to give these a try. With almonds, chili, onion, smoked vinegar, and melted manchego, I can pretty much guarantee they are very different and also better than any you’ve ever had before.

Another standout dish for me is the Duck Cassoulet. A substantial portion that left me with enough to take home for lunch the next day, this is definitely comfort food at its best.

Welcome to the neighborhood, blvd. We look forward to many happy meals ahead!

blvd Duck Cassoulet
Duck Confit, Duck Breast, Lentils, Beans, Barley

blvd

2013 Belmont Blvd
Nashville, TN 37212
(615) 385-2422

There are a gazillion versions of this recipe floating around on the internet, so I know I’m not publishing anything novel here, but these sweet treats hold a special place in my heart and memory, so I figure they deserve a place on my blog. In fact, these cookies have been a part of my life for probably longer than I can remember them being a part of my life.

After I posted a photo of them on Instagram yesterday, my cousin Lori commented “Seems like Aunt Nell had these waiting for me every day after kindergarten! They were the best!”

When Lori was in kindergarten, I was a wee babe. Actually, it’s likely that I wasn’t even eating solid foods yet. It’s also very likely that this may have been the first dessert (besides fruit) I ever ate. Just speculating of course….

I do know they are one of the few foods that I vividly remember from my childhood. I’ll never forget the smell of the chocolate as it bubbled in the saucepan on the stove. Or how I burned my tongue more than a few times because I was overeager to get the hot, buttery mixture into my mouth. I can still recall the vision of my mom dropping the gooey masses onto the wax paper on the counter. And I definitely remember how happy they made me.

Chocolate Oatmeal No Bake Cookies

Yields 18-24

Ingredients:

2 cups granulated white sugar
6 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa
1 stick of butter
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups Old Fashioned Quaker Oats

Optional:
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions:

Combine sugar, cocoa, butter and milk in saucepan, bring to a boil. Add vanilla extract.

Remove from heat and add oats (and other optional ingredients). Stir well.

Drop by spoonfuls onto parchment or wax paper and allow to cool.

You’ll notice I’ve got a couple of “optional” ingredients in my recipe. My mom never added these – she’s a purist. But her daughter is a little more adventurous, so sometimes I give them a little twist. Peanut Butter can also be added (1/2 cup will do).

Did you happen to catch the exciting news I shared a couple of weeks ago about celebrity chef and Chopped judge Maneet Chauhan opening a restaurant in Nashville? If you didn’t, click that link now and read all about it. No doubt it my mind that it’s going to be awesome with a capital A.

Seriously you guys. If I’m not careful, this post could turn out to be the longest one in the history of my blog because I have SO MUCH I want to say. I promise I’ll try to keep the gushing under control.

Maybe I should start by telling you that I’m a huge fan of Chopped. You’d think because I am just a tab bit obsessed with food that I watch a lot of food-related television, but that’s actually not the case. Sure, I haven’t yet missed a season of Top Chef, but other than that, the only culinary entertainment that can keep me in my seat for hours on end is Chopped. (Side note: the show is currently casting in Nashville if you’re interested in trying out.)

So the fact that I got to talk on the phone with Maneet, one of my favorite judges from Chopped, is pretty darn cool. After my gazillion questions about the show, the new restaurant, and what she really thinks about Nashville (“people are so nice” and “it was love at first sight!”), we moved on to the topic that was really the whole reason behind our call, her soon-to-be-released cookbook, Flavors of My World. I should probably note that a couple of weeks before I spoke with Maneet, I actually talked to Doug Singer, her co-author, as he’s the one that reached out to me via email regarding their upcoming book tour. He’s awesome. It may be hard to tell much about a person over the phone (or maybe it’s not? maybe it’s better to only hear their voice kind of like The Voice?), but within the first few seconds of talking, I liked him.

Apparently Maneet felt the same way when she first met him, because when I asked how they ended up working together on this project, she said she just happened to meet Doug at a celebrity chef event, and they just “clicked”. A while later, she told him about the cookbook idea she’d had floating around in her head, but she wanted someone to help her write it…and the rest is history. She cooked. He wrote. And now their cookbook is about to hit the stores and they’re embarking on a 21-city book tour. Which does, in fact, include Music City.

Geisha Kamasutra Cocktail
from Flavors of My World, photography by Quentin Bacon

Flavors of My World: A Culinary Tour Through 25 Countries is…. more than I can put into words. It’s interesting, it’s beautiful, it’s fascinating, it’s unique.  And it is full of not only incredible food, but also cocktails. Lots and lots of cocktails! Yes, this is certainly my kind of book.

From the sake based Geisha Kamasutra shown above to the Spicy Coconut Ouzo – a Greek inspired drink with coconut milk, ginger, serrano chile, lime and ouzo- I’m feeling the need to host an Around the World party and make every. single. one.

I’ll attempt to explain the concept of Flavors of My World. Think global fusion cuisine. There are 25 different countries represented, each with a personal story, and all recipes have been given Maneet’s Indian twist. It’s fun to read, and once I actually make a few of the dishes, I’m certain that I’ll be able to say it makes for delightful eating too!

On my short list: Moroccan tagine chana masala on couscous and Malai chicken hot dogs (a nod to the U.S.).

Chicken Tandoori Banh Mi
from Flavors of My World, photography by Quentin Bacon

Now, for info on the tour, making its stop in Nashville next week!

What:

Exclusive Dinner with Maneet Chauahn

When:

April 23rd, 2013
6 p.m.

Where:

Anthem
125 12th Ave North
Nashville, TN 37203

Seating is limited for what is sure to be an amazing culinary experience. Tickets are $90 per person and include a signed copy of Flavors of My World. The event will begin with a cocktail hour, followed by a four-course meal. Tickets are available by calling 615-800-9712 or by visiting the event ticket site.

Pa Doi Pots de Creme
from Flavors of My World, photography by Quentin Bacon

Can’t make it to that dinner but still want to meet Maneet and get a cookbook signed? No problem! There’s another opportunity:

What:

Flavors of My World Book Signing

When:

April 24th, 2013
10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Where:

Whole Foods
4021 Hillsboro Pike
Nashville 37215

If you aren’t in Nashville, click here for a full list of the tour cities.

And last but not least, if you don’t happen to live in any of the places the tour will hit, or if you just can’t make it out to one of those events, never fear. You’ve got a chance to score one of the cookbooks right here!

That’s right, one of my lucky readers is going to win a copy of Flavors of My World.

~Contest Closed~

Congratulations

#22 Sarah Worley!

All you have to do is this:

Mandatory

1. Leave a comment telling me the best or most interesting ethnic dish you’ve ever eaten. Were you in that country, here in Nashville or some other city in the U.S.? Maybe you even made it yourself at home! Do tell.

Optional

For up to 2 additional entries, you can do either or both of the following. Note: You must leave a separate comment for each optional entry.

2.  Follow me on Twitter (@betheats) and tweet “Win a copy of Chopped judge Maneet Chauhan’s soon-to-be released Flavors of My World cookbook from @betheats! http://bit.ly/175lSwB ” then leave a comment telling me you’ve done so.

3.  Like Eat.Drink.Smile. on Facebook and come back and tell me you did so (or just tell me you already do if that’s the case!)

Contest ends on Tuesday, April 23rd at 11 pm CDT. Once the winner is chosen, I’ll make contact via email and post the name here on the blog. If they don’t respond within 48 hours, I’ll be forced to choose another, so be sure to check your email!

Otaku South is undoubtedly one of the stars of the Nashville pop-up scene. I’ve been hearing raves about Sarah Gavigan’s roaming ramen shop from friends for several months now, and after a mention in Food & Wine magazine, then a special appearance at Catbird Seat, I’ve certainly been feeling like I’m missing out by not having attended one myself.

So I was excited to hear about this weekend’s Otaku South on steroids – Otaku South EXTRA LARGE!

Along with Sarah’s local team, there will be special guest chefs from around the country serving up their own distinctive styles of ramen as well as assorted yakitori skewers. Choices, choices – how will I ever decide?!

What:

Otaku South EXTRA LARGE
with special guests
Guy Wong – Miso Izakaya, Atlanta
Akiko Moorman – The Gohan Society, New York
Phillip Foss – El Ideas, Chicago
Dennis Lange – Den-Chan, Atlanta

Where:

Marathon Music Works

When:

Saturday, April 20th, 2013
3-8 pm

There will be live music in addition to all the incredible food. Admission to the event itself is free, but you’ll need to buy food tickets if you want to eat (and really, why wouldn’t you??). Each ticket is $12 and can be redeemed for one of the food items offered at EXTRA LARGE. To purchase tickets and learn more about the event, visit the Otaku South website.

Now for some even more exciting news-  Sarah is letting me give away tickets to TWO of my lucky readers! Both of the winners will get a set of 2 food tickets to be used at the event.

~Contest Closed~

Congratulations to the winners!

#4 Amy Williams

#26 Ivan

All you have to do is this:

Mandatory

1. Leave a comment describing your best ever ramen experience. If you’ve never had ramen, no worries. Just tell me how much you’d love to eat a big bowl of Otaku South’s!

Optional

For up to 2 additional entries, you can do either or both of the following. Note: You must leave a separate comment for each optional entry.

2.  Follow me on Twitter (@betheats) and tweet “Live EXTRA LARGE this weekend with @betheats! Win 2 tickets to the @OtakuSouth Event! http://bit.ly/ZkVtZf ” then leave a comment telling me you’ve done so.

3.  Like Otaku South on Facebook and come back and tell me you did so (or just tell me you already do if that’s the case!)

Contest ends on Tuesday, April 16th at 9 p.m. CST. Once the winners are chosen, I’ll make contact via email and post the names here on the blog. If they don’t respond within 48 hours, I’ll be forced to choose others, so be sure to check your email!

Image courtesy of Otaku South