The Rambling at Southall Farms

posted on May 28, 2019 by Beth // 3 Comments »

The Rambling at Southall Farms

Last fall, Southall Farms in Franklin opened up their under-construction property to guests for an outdoor dinner series called “The Rambling”. Each Thursday through Saturday evening Southall’s Executive Chef, Tyler Brown (formerly of Capitol Grille at the Hermitage Hotel), and his staff prepared a multi-course meal for those lucky enough to have grabbed one of the limited number of tickets available.

Friends and acquaintances attended and I heard great things. Unfortunately, my calendar was so crazy during that time (anniversary trip to Italy!), that I wasn’t able to attend myself.

Lucky for me, Southhall decided to bring back the popular series this spring, and I was finally able to find a date that worked — and on my birthday weekend, no less!

Celebrating my birthday at The Rambling at Southall Farms

These days it’s not often that I leave a meal and immediately start working on a blog post about it, but that’s exactly what I did after attending The Rambling this weekend. I LOVED this experience, you guys!

But now I feel a little bad raving about it, because the remaining May and June dinners are completely sold out. Fortunately, there is good news! After a brief break for the summer, they’ll be back again in September and October. No one wants to eat outside in the sticky, brutal heat of July or August anyway, right??

The Rambling’s Pimento Cheese and Bacon Fritters with Ramp Remoulade

So why am I so excited about this experience?

First, the setting is just so lovely. There are fire pits to gather around, lawn games to play, and complimentary wine and beer to sip while you chat with old friends, or even make some new ones before sitting down to share the family-style meal at communal tables.

Blue Barley Rolls with housemade butter at The Rambling

I really didn’t know what to expect in terms of the food, but could see that everything was being prepared using an open fire and a single cooking trailer, so I imagined fairly simple dishes.

Plates, platters, and bowls started to arrive at the table at a dizzying pace, and as we dove in, I was absolutely tickled by all of the flavors and textures I was encountering.

Carrots and Turnips with Green Tomato & Charred Leek Vinaigrette at The Rambling

Three starters, bread, salad, three sides, two entrees, and dessert! Tickets are $95 per person (plus tax and gratuity), and I don’t remember the last time I spent that little for this amount and quality of food and drink.

The Rambling Menu

May 25, 2019

Pimento Cheese & Bacon Fritter with Ramp Remoulade

BBQ Shrimp with Grilled Pullman Bread

Thai Style Green Peach Lettuce Wraps

Blue Barley Rolls with house made butter

Southall Greens with Sorghum Vinaigrette and crunchy seeds

Carrots and Turnips with Green Tomato & Charred Leek Vinaigrette

Charred Beets with Mustard Greens, Golden Raisins, and Vadouvan

Sea Island Peas with Sock Sausage

Smoked Pork Shoulder with Kimchi Glaze

Garlic & Herb Rubbed Chicken with Lemon Butter Sauce

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream topped with Chocolate Cookie Crumble

The Rambling’s Charred Beets with Mustard Greens, Golden Raisins, and Vadouvan

Some of my favorites dishes were the pimento cheese & bacon fritters, the charred beets with mustard greens, and the carrots and turnips with green tomato & charred leek vinaigrette.

And man, oh man, the smoked pork shoulder with kimchi glaze was just so, so wonderful.

Smoked Pork Shoulder with Kimchi Glaze at The Rambling

Just when I didn’t think I could possibly eat any more, or that the meal could possibly get any better, they brought out a platter of chicken and placed it in front of me. Not just any chicken, but rotisserie style garlic and herb rubbed chicken with a light lemon butter sauce…. some of the best chicken I’ve ever had in my life.

In. My. Life.

The Rambling’s Garlic and Herb Rubbed Chicken with Lemon Butter Sauce

My advice to you is to go right now and follow Southall on Instagram or Facebook, or sign up on the their website to be one of the first to hear news regarding the upcoming dinners. Once the tickets are released, you’re going to want to scoop yours up immediately as they sell out fast!