Fresh French Fare

Allium: (n) any plant of the genus Allium, such as the onion, garlic, shallot, leek, or chive; French-inspired restaurant in East Nashville from the owners of Germantown Cafe.

I had been so looking forward to dining here, as I am a huge fan of the sister establishment. However, I was disappointed with the menu choices, honestly. I wanted to be overwhelmed but i was a little...underwhelmed. 

It started out when I ordered a fancy orange rye Manhattan instead of the gin and tonic I’d been craving. The Manhattan didn’t measure up to the flaming variety I’d ordered at The Patterson House. Gin and tonic would have more appropriately complimented my meal of choice: grouper with a tomatillo salsa atop grits and paired with steamed swiss chard. 

A true Southerner, I love turnip and collard greens. I find Swiss chard similar if not slightly more bitter. This lived up to my expectations. My Southern roots also expected cheese grits. These were not, although probably less bland than they could have been. And having grown up with fresh Gulf Coast seafood, I was disappointed to find my grouper tasted at least one day old. (Now, I should have expected this, what with now residing in a land-locked state and all, but I was hoping for something more.)

The other menu options either seemed too unspectacular (the pasta special was penne tossed with broccoli and chicken breasts in a creamy sauce--something even my kitchen could produce!) or too wintery for a warm July evening (pork roast or duck with plum sauce sounded yummy but a bit like breaking open a bottle of dry red in the middle of summer--not such a hot idea on such a hot night). So I opted for the fish dish. Next time I'm going to try the Croque Monsieur, though.

The dessert did live up to my Southerness, however. Peach tart a la mode. Plump, juicy fresh peaches in a simple glaze baked into a buttery tart crust. Topped with simple vanilla bean ice cream, it was the perfect way to end the evening. Unfortunately, my camera is currently on DL, so I have no pictures. Take my word for it; it was gorgeous.

I will say our waiter was refreshingly attentive and honest. He blatantly stated his opinion on every question we asked. Which dish do you prefer? What are your thoughts on dessert? The mocha cheesecake “underwhelmed” him. Perhaps he was able to pay us so much attention because of the utter lack of co-diners. Literally, we were the only paying customers until at least 7 p.m. A little unnerving, but perhaps Thursdays aren’t the nights to visit Allium. 

Don’t let it keep you from visiting, though. I hear their Sunday brunch is fantastic. 

The End Notes: 

• Great value--salad included! And fresh French bread (duh!) with a delicious garlicky butter that melts into every bread crevice.
• The lack of crowd made me feel a little nervous.
• Ask for an opinion on the artistic cocktail menu so you select the best one (or two).
• ...and listen when the waiter tells you one slice of pie that is really a candy bar masquerading as a pie is too much for one person. He was right!