Shalimar- Great Indian food for novices and aficianados

  I'm a fan of Indian food, no doubt but some people think of Indian food and think of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and that scene in "Along Came Polly" where Ben Stiller is sweating profusely while Jen Aniston flings her food off her fingers onto the plate they share. I'm here to tell you that that is not what you will find at

Shalimar!

   Shalimar is the oldest and most respected Indian joint in Nashville and rightly so! Their establishment is spotless, the waitstaff is patient and informative, and the food is just to die for. I don't know why to this day I still manage to befriend some of the only people Ive ever met that are petrified at the thought of eating lamb. Everybody sing-"Mary had a tasty treat, tasty treat, taste like meat! Mary's lamb went great beats, and an IBA!" I like to play with my friends who think of cute nursery rhymes when I tell them they have to order the lamb. Shalimar's lamb was cooked to perfection until it fell apart. Almost like a nice pot roast, the lamb came abed the most fluffy basmati rice with nuts and raisins which were an unexpected sweet surprise in the savory dish. Oh and the garlic masala naan! Can I get an amen?! This amuse bouche was a perfect starter with its warm  "unleven" style of bread and the most sensual spices and roasted garlic dancing across the top that went so perfectly with the herb based yogurt that tasted like a rich tsaziki.

  So if you want to go outside the box and are afraid you will have a Ben Stiller reaction, I assure you that Shalimar is a fun idea that will make you glad you dared to be different!

http://www.shalimarfinedining.com/

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Cha Chah's Left Me Dancing!!!

A lot of folks out there may not know where Tapas originated from. In the "days of yore" as I like to refer to them, King Alfonso X of Castile got super sick and decided to eat very small meals until he felt all aces again. Then this idea was adapted by hoity toity sherry drinkers umpteen years ago due to the fact that the small portions of salted meats, made sherry drinkers really thirsty and then hungry and thirsty again, boosting middle ages liquor sales through the roof. The little plates of food also came in handy to set on top of their sherry glasses to keep those pesky little fruit flies out which is where we get the word "Tapas" which means "To cover".

  Now that we have our little history lesson out of the way, I can tell you about Cha Chahs! Many "tapas" restaurants you hear of now-a-days like to adapt the term to basically give them the rights to serve tiny portions on many plates but charge the same as an entree for each. Tisk tisk! Traditional Tapas restaurants serve traditional Spanish (not Mexico people!) or Mallorcan Tapas which is a beautiful blend of mediterranian, greek, indian, italian, and european influences which makes for seafood, meats, spices, fruits, veggies and nuts galore to tease your curious palete. I am so happy to have found Cha Chah's Tapas resaurant in the Belmont district of Nashville.

  My two girlfriends and I decided to try it out (which means they let me drag them to another place that doesnt serve crap for food) and we were pleasantly suprised. When seated, we hope that the food was as good as our waiter was cute! (Thanks Evan, good luck becoming a nuerosurgeon!) My friends, knowing I was going to anyway, let me order. Citrus hummus to cleanse the palete (when prepared correctly can do that) was two thumbs up due to the cucumber served with it instead of a bunch of bread, love that! And then came the Tapas...


Papas Bravas w/ aioli- like fluffy potato balls, lightly fried with an herb based, light green cream aioli to make you feel like you just ate the healthiest fried food ever


Brussel Sprouts w/ smoked vinegar & almonds- people people people... I hate brussel sprouts and this was my favorite thing here! the sprouts were pitted so that yucky bitter flavor was adios. Then tossed in a warm vinegar and toasted almomds which gave it this great bacon flavor. Dee- frikin -Lish!


Calamari w/ mediterranian cocktail- The most lightly fried calamari ringlets with the tastiest marinara (tangy hints of olive and meditarranean spices)


Bacalao Salt Cod Cakes w/ Lemon Crema- Like pan seared, lightly fried crab cakes with a nice, flaky white fish substitue so you werent full to the brim after one bite. The thick cream lemon sauce almost looked like a garlic pizza dipping sauce but the flavor was outta this world!

Lamb Meatballs w/ Cilantro Yogurt- This was straight up greek with the meatballs packed around bone for a fuller flavor and the most well spiced and flavorful lamb meat Ive had. The cilantro yogurt was a great plus but only a tad was needed as the meat is the real star of this show!

All in all, three girls, three big appetites, one huge pitcher of great sangria with a touch of St. Germain and more leftovers than I bargained for and we still only paid $25 a piece!!!  Not to mention the interior of the place is like the exterior, as the walls...well their arent any! Great first date place or catch-up joint with friends.

Thanks Cha Chah's! Ill be back shortly...

http://www.chachahnashville.com/

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Best sushi in Nashville- Sushi O' Sushi

  OK, so I am  just going to admit it... I am a no regrets, sushi nut. I think, if Im not mistaken, that I have eaten at every sushi place in Nashville. Now I know that it isn't for everyone and when some people think of sushi, they picture a big slab of raw fish meat on a cube of white rice, wrapped in seaweed. Some go as far to think of a plate with a whole squid in the middle smiling and winking t them mischievously. But boys and girls, I am here to tell ya that I am a texas girl who needs some substance even if it comes in the form of raw japanese food.
   I count myself lucky that of every sushi place I've eaten at, i happened to end up living with the best one in my own neighborhood. Ladies and gentlemen, Sushi O' Sushi! I know what you're thinking, "the best cheeseburger I've ever had is at Burger O' Burger!" But I am here to tell you that this little establishment in south Nashville really nailed it.
   My favorite thing on the menu is a tasty little creation called (quite fittingly) the Nashville Roll. Composed of crab, salmon, cucumber, avocado and cream cheese rolled in white rice, DEEP FRIED, and drizzled with eel sauce. yuh huh huh meee. Leave it to me to eat sushi that is deep fried but I am   telling you ladies that if your man doesn't like sushi but you are addicted, take him here!
    The staff is amazing as well, especially So-Yon, who is the funniest girl I have talked to in some time. They have a great selection of sake as well with some even infused with raspberry and watermelon. They have extremely reasonable prices including a happy hour every day with 10% off. My meal consisted of a Nashville roll and California (always need a goof base) and put me out $13.00. No joke.
  So to summarize, Sushi O' Sushi cuts to the chase with great flavors and the freshest ingredients with superb service to boot! Calling me a patron will be an understatement!
http://www.sushiofsushi.net/

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Nashville City House- Asi Asi (so-so)

My girlfriend and I decided to try the City House last night and from the look of the building I was excited. It has a very "old meets modern" feel to it and immediately makes you feel like you are in l.a.. I was encouraged by the glass of syrah that I had ordered which was delicious (Broc Vine Starr) and the coke I was served was great as well in a tall old coke bottle that when poured, tasted like a fountain drink.
    The service was great... when they finally made it to your table. My friend's entree got cold while she waited for a drink. For an appetizer, we had an interesting potato, omelette-like patty called Frico on a plate which was good but was a missed opportunity to have this patty be a base for an even better dish instead of the bland simplicity that was served.
     We both ordered the tri-tip which, for one of the most expensive items on the menu, left something to be desired. The tri-tip was a gorgeous cut of meat that was perfectly pink and looked delicious. Unfortunately, the rub on the outside of the meat completely over powered the would-be amazing taste of this beautiful cut of meat. I ended up, dunking...yes, DUNKING my tri-tip n parmesan grits which kind of made me sad but toned down the overwhelming flavor of the rub. Grits were amazing though,  as neanderthal as that makes me sound.
  I don't know if it is just me but when I ask a server for a dessert menu, I think of it as a way to increase said servers tip and let them know that they should return to the table. twenty minutes after receiving the dessert menu, I decided to for go the dessert and lemoncello I was looking forward to due to the wait. bummer.
  All in all, go to city house for the cocktails and stay for the cocktails...but sit at the bar :)

http://cityhousenashville.com/

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Il Canale ~ Washington D.C.

ilcanaledc.com  

There are certain times in life when you are introduced to something and you know right off the bat that it is a good thing. Weather it's love at first sight, your favorite dress from first trying it on in the dressing room or knowing your home the moment the realtor opens the door to a house. For me, it was knowing I had just found one of my new favorite restaurants the second I stepped on the stoop.
    I took a relaxing stroll down the edge of the canal in Georgetown, Washington D.C. along with my dinner companion. I had heard great things about Il Canale Restaurant which says a lot for someone like me who had never been to Washington before. The moment we walked in the door I was greeted by a gorgeous bubble-like glass mosaic pizza oven by the front door and a sign hanging on the wall with the owners picture and cell phone number that read, "If you had anything less than an outstanding experience here tonight, please call me and inform me of it." Right away, I knew I would love this place.
   We were seated immediately despite no reservation on the upstairs veranda outside overlooking the canal. We decided to go for it! To start was a decadent serving of calamari. Lightly fried and as big as onion rings, they came served with a marinara that tasted almost like a tomato bisque with a succulent cream base. It is the first time I have ever had calamari that was neither squeaky or chewy. When the waiter walked by with a caprese salad, we couldn't help ourselves. Mozzarella balls as big as eggs atop ripe fresh pick tomato slices and olive oil didn't even need basil OR vinegar to taste fresher and more flavorful than any caprese I have tasted!
   The mussels came in a bowl overflowing with ebony shells that had been cooked so perfectly in a white wine buerre blanc that the tasty crustaceans couldn't even stay attached to the shells and therefore hid so playfully together at the bottom. For the main course I had to go with a traditional spaghetti with a fresh pomodoro that when tasted, you knew had been perfected over a hundred years ago.
   The best part of the evening was when a man came to the table to ask how the meal was who looked to be a cook from the kitchen, clad in a stained apron. After brief conversation we both realized this was the owner who just wanted to chat with to-be patrons. After a very long and lively talk with this jubilant italian man, he instructed our server to bring us ricotta cheesecake and a "digestivo" called centerba on the house.
    After our new friend returned to the kitchen, we indulged in the most perfect and lightly sweetened cheesecake that due to the ricotta base, crumbled perfectly for a most interesting texture. The Centerba was a slightly bitter, herb based liqueur that cleansed the palate and added yet another flavor to the evening.
    When we were done, we exited but not before being stopped at the door by the owner once more to exchange information and snap a quick photo. He told us to show him all about Nashville BBQ if he ever made it that way and told us to please return the next time we were in town. All in all it was a wonderful experience and I would strongly encourage everyone to stop in for a visit if ever in the nations capitol.
Il Canale, ti amo molto ringrazio !!!

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