blvd Nashville ~bistro-bar-market~
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
I want to go to there – now!
Cha Chah was my fave restaurant in Nashville (I’m from Baton Rouge but often visit my daughter who lives in Nashville) and it was a tradition to eat there at least once, if not twice, on every trip. I, too, was heartbroken when it closed but have grown to love blvd nashville since the food has the same outstanding quality that only comes from a great chef. So glad Arnold continues to share his talents with Nashville and give us a great place to dine!
Great round up of blvd! The price point of blvd is in the range that is more approachable for us to visit on a regular basis. ChaChah was more of a “really special occasion” type of thing for us. I see many more visits in my future, as I must try the Salmon & Grits!
Yummy! Loving your blog!
Thanks so much for the high chair tip! Nashville has so many amazing restaurants and it great to know somewhere we can spontaneously go with our 2 year old in tow and still get quality food!
Love that you mentioned they have highchairs…so many restaurants with this great, quality food do not! I went a few months ago with girlfriends and the food was amazing. The service was horrible though. I plan to go back soon and hope the bad service was just a fluke!
BLVD Nashville is amazing. Every dish we ordered was a knock out. All hits, and no misses. The Happy Hour deals were a pleasant surprise. Finally, the atmosphere and the staff make this place a repeat offender.