Germantown Cafe – Where Not Changing Is Good
Squash Fritters
with buttermilk cream
Recently I visited Germantown Cafe after a long absence and to be honest, I don’t know why I’d stayed away so long. Sure, it’s not the newest kid on the block, but I’ve always experienced consistently good food and service there, and this time was no different.
Before sitting down at our table, I was silently hoping that the menu hadn’t changed because I already knew what I wanted to order. Thankfully, upon a quick inspection, it seemed to be exactly the same as I remembered.
First, the squash fritters. The crispy breading gives way to a tender center of creamy squash that is perfect for soaking up the tangy buttermilk cream. Good golly.
Then you’ve got the fried green tomatoes. A dollop of goat cheese on top of each crispy tomato combines with the red pepper sauce to make these irresistible.
Fried Green Tomatoes
with red bell pepper sauce & goat cheese
After sharing these appetizers with only two others, I was already starting to feel a bit stuffed but there was no way I was going to pass up my favorite dish on the menu.
On my very first visit to the restaurant many years ago, I ordered the Coconut Curry Salmon. I love coconut. I love curry. I love risotto. I love asparagus. I love salmon. How could I ever order anything else?
That’s correct, I have never once ordered another entree in all of my visits over the years. That is sad, isn’t it?! I just can’t help it…that’s how much I enjoy this dish.
Coconut Curry Salmon
Atlantic salmon with coconut curry sauce, creamy risotto, spinach & asparagus
So that got me to thinking. There are plenty of places I frequent that constantly tweak or completely overhaul their menu, and I embrace those changes. In fact, I get giddy with excitement over seasonal menu changes (I am a Gemini after all). But I guess there are some spots I’d prefer to stay exactly as they are so I have no surprises.
How about you? Is there a restaurant you frequent where you can never seem to stray from ordering a handful of favorites and you secretly hope they never disappear from the menu?
Germantown Cafe
1200 Fifth Avenue, North
Nashville, TN 37208
615.242.3226
Lunch
M-F 11 am – 2 pm
Dinner
Nightly 5 pm
Brunch
Sun 10:30 am – 2 pm
Sat 11 am – 2 pm
I like it when restaurants realize that they have at least a few dishes that are so wonderful that they should never leave the menu. I like having a solid foundation with a few seasonal extras. Zola and the Acorn were both good about that and I like that Germantown Cafe and Allium are doing the same (reminds me, I really need to get back to Allium soon.
I know I’ve said this 5 bazillion times, but I miss Zola :-(
I love the Crow’s Nest in Green Hills, and can’t get anything but thier risotto with scallops, sun-dried tomatoes, and asparagus. AMAZING, have you tried it yet?
I haven’t tried that dish yet, because there are a couple of other things on their menu that I am stuck on – the steak salad and the fried green tomato stack. So good! (Can you tell that I love fried green tomatoes?) ;-)
Braised lamb shank at House of Kabob. I’ve eaten it at least 100 times!
That coconut curry is the same thing I got at Germantown Cafe during Restaurant Week!
you must get a special menu or something, b/c I’ve never seen the fried green tomatoes or else I’d have to try them. We always get the calamari.
They definitely used to have them because for about the first year I ordered them every time I went in. The last time I was there was about 2 months ago though, and I just got the steak salad & didn’t actually notice if the fried green tomatoes were on there any more…
wait, you were talking about Crow’s Nest, right? I just realized you could have been talking about Germantown Cafe.
I moved away from Nashville in 2008 and STILL miss Germantown Cafe!! PLEASE tell me they still have those amazing yummy little donut-type bread balls!!
they absolutely do!! :-)
We used to be regulars at Germantown Cafe (for years) but honestly got completely burned out on the non-changing. I wish they’d at least mix things up a little bit – varying what kind of bread you use in your french toast at brunch doesn’t count. I prefer Marche’s seasonal variety (with returns of favorites sometimes).
Mmmm, I love Marche’s brunch! I don’t go to Germantown Cafe very often (we’re talking maybe twice a year) so not enough to get burned out on the menu. I can understand growing tired of it if you were going quite regularly.