Nashville - Rolf and Daughters
Farm to table in Music City
Known more for drink-peddling bachelorettes and country music bars, I had expected comfort food in Nashville - great bread, hot chicken, maybe some tacos, and a lot of beer. As mentioned in last week’s post, Rolf and Daughters in Nashville has gained a top spot on my list of international restaurants. This meal was incredible. It’s no wonder Chef Philip Krajeck has been nominated as Best Chef: Southeast by the James Beard Foundation (2022).
What we ordered: Falafel, basil, lovage, smoked tonnato $16 | Sprouting broccoli, cauliflower, date, almond, yogurt, bread xo sauce $18 | Rigatoni, heritage pork ragu, tomato, parmesan $26 | Pastured chicken, preserved lemon, garlic confit (+ chanterelle 15) $38
The falafel and broccoli was shared among the four of us; the couple we were with also ordered a pasta, and then the trout. Have to say the chicken was superior.
Recommend for: There are tables for couples and quads along the exterior of the restaurant, but the interior is two long farm tables. There were a couple families, and lots of friends getting a meal and drinks before a night out. While our reservation was early (pre-Predators game), the place was packed by 6:30 PM and it was confirmed that this is a hard-to-get reservation. This is a great place for friends, family, date night, really all of the above.
Reservations: Yes, via their website
Complet’s Current
Our homepage has been organized..! If you are looking for a place to eat in a specific city or country, you can now scroll through posts from recent jaunts: London, New York City, Mexico City, Milan, Paris, Prince Edward County & Picton, and Japan.
Memorable Meal? Now that Blackbird is up and running at the St. Lawrence Market, I have been upping my sandwich game. Their chickpea salad is a fantastic spread with some arugula and pickled onions.
Where am I Eating Next? I have a work breakfast at the One this week. While I am rarely tempted to frequent the Hazelton Hotel for drinks, they do have incredible scrambled eggs - and french fries.
What My Friends Are Talking About: Christmas and Holiday parties. December is a rare time to go out to eat as calendars are packed with social engagements. Most are hosted at the most dreadful, but accommodating establishments; think rubber chicken dinners or cold mushroom tarts - why is it so hard to get big-party meals right? Personally, I am plotting dinners for when my parents come to Toronto for Christmas - we probably need one fun night out, and one cosy evening at the Queen & Beaver.
Added to My International Must-See List: It’s been a big art week - I watched the Heffel auction live from my living room and tuned into the news of the Sotheby’s auction. NOTA BENE has become my favourite podcast of late and they have been putting out some great art content; on a recent episode, they mentioned Fleming in NYC and I was reminded I have not sat in those red banquets for a long time. Perfectly paired with a glass of Chablis, the UES spot is on my post-baby list.