Two for the Price of One

Any spendthrift or savvy socialite knows the best way to get more bang out of your evening out is to hit up 2-4-1 specials. This week, I've had the chance to partake in two trendy hotspots' hot deals.

For anyone living west of the River, Tuesday night means Mafiaoza's. This 12th South staple offers BOGO pizza slices and beer all day every Tuesday  until closing time (well, the beer specials stop at 9--gotta be safe, right?). Anything you can pile on a pizza or pull from a tap can be yours for a low, low price. Well, actually the low price depends on how many toppings you choose. I had 2 slices of Mafiaoza's New York-style stone oven pizza topped with fresh basil, black olives, chopped prosciutto, and gooey mozzarella for just $5 and change. Add in a round of Blue Moon from the iconic Mason jars, and my Tuesday night was complete for less than $10. Plus, the slices were so big they took up the entire plate, and had I not had a such a lackluster lunch I could have easily saved one slice for the next day. (Wanna talk about being a spendthrift?)

I will say, the noise and crowd levels can get pretty high the closer the hour hand get to 12, so a quiet, romantic evening this is not. But if you're in the mood to hang out with some friends and get good food and beer for the same price as a meal at any chain restaurant, head on down to the bustling 12th South neighborhood for this Nashville favorite.

And when Wednesday rolls around and you are still looking for a great deal and a little less chaos, please check out Taco Mamacita, the anchor of the Edgehill Village area (between Belmont University and Music Row). Once a struggling strip of entrepreneurial ventures, Edgehill Village seems to have blossomed in the 6-8 months since Taco Mamacita took over the space formerly occupied by Rosario's. If you could classify a taco as "upscale" or "trendy" that's what you'll find here. Tacos are sold individually for about $4 each or as part a plate with your choice of side. (I'm partial to the sweet potato fries myself, but a friend recently introduced me to the Mexican street corn, which is also delicious.) Perhaps my favorite taco is the Memphis, an unexpected combination of flour tortilla, cole slaw, and pulled pork drenched in a tangy BBQ sauce. I also like Baja fish taco and the vegetarian jerk, if you're looking to complete your platter.

Unfortunately, the tacos are not twofers, but the margaritas certainly are! For $7, you get your choice of the Elvez or El Camino margaritas (pretty standard formula for the former, add a splash of OJ and you get the latter) in a 24oz. glass served over crushed ice. Yum! Also unfortunately, T.M.'s popular Skinny Margarita is not included in the special, but really, if you're gonna have pizza and beer one night and tacos and margs the next, does the skinny version really make that much difference?

Another trendy spot for the vaguely descriptive "young professionals sector", I recommend arriving early to secure both good parking and a good seat. We arrived tonight around 6 and nabbed a table outside in the shade, under a fan, and were glad to have a place to sit when the crowds started lining up down the sidewalk. On a night like this you can have as much or as little to eat or drink as you want and still come away with a bargain.

Oh, and for those of you who haven't been to Taco Mamacita in several weeks--yes, they do have their beer license now and can serve several beers on tap and many domestic and imports by the bottle. Yazoo's Dos Perros makes a nice compliment to a taco.

Next week, when you're planning your dinner menu, consider one of these Belmont-area nightspots. You won't regret it!

The End Notes:

• Good bargains are worth planning your calendar around
• Great for after-work drinks and dinner with friends, but arrive early to avoid ridiculously long wait-times.
• Anything goes as far as attire, so there should be no excuse not to visit (unless you don't like crowds and noise. Then maybe visit on another day.)

A cure for the Mondays

In my last post, I mentioned one of my favorite Nashville mainstays. Yesterday, I had the privilege of visiting two of my favorite spots in one day. Urban Flats for lunch and Lime for happy hour. A lot for a Monday, but I enjoyed the little bit of frivolity. 

I have to say, though, that though I love both of these establishments, I did not like them for lunch or happy hour. One hour (or in my case, about 37 minutes) is too short to enjoy the atmosphere of Urban Flats. Plus, their wine bar is a bragging point and compliments every flat but cannot be touched during a working lunch. I was able to enjoy about three bites of the spinach/goat cheese/pear/chicken salad before I had to leave, but the waitress was very accommodating of my needs; she brought my check early and with a smile too! It was the first time I'd ever eaten there without ordering a flat (think personal-sized pizza on thin pita bread-style crust). But the salad was yummy, if not a little pricey--$16 for a salad and water is a little steep (including gratuity for a big party). 

But what I spent at lunch I saved at Lime's Happy Hour. The only complaints I have about this is the short length of time the specials are served. Lime's happiest hours are from 4-6 daily. Cocktails are only $5 and guac with chips only $4.50. I had the honey margarita, which was recommended by the waiter as "the best drink on the Happy Hour menu." And I have to agree. At first I was hesitant, worried it would be too sweet. But the little bit of honey cut the acid in the lime juice and made for a wonderfully enjoyable cocktail. And the best part? It comes served on crushed "Sonic Ice" & no salt is needed on this drink! (Which works perfectly for the girl who always orders her margaritas on the rocks with no salt. Which even annoys the girl placing the order!) Sadly, I arrived at about 5:35, with only enough time to order one drink at the happy hour price. But the menu also offers pitchers of Lime's famous red or white sangria for $15, as well as several tapas for munching. And with free valet parking, what could be better?

Like I said, this was a lot for a Monday, so I'm taking a break until much later in the week. Buon appetito, y'all!

Can't I enjoy the Cantina?

Since I first heard of its Nashville opening in the Gulch, I have had Cantina Laredo at the top of my "must try" list. (It was excluded from the monthly work dinner by virtue of the fact that it's Dallas-based, not a Nashville original.) But I had yet to find a good excuse to go, as if I really needed one. Last week, I finally had my good excuse--a blind date. A perfectly planned evening beginning at Cantina Laredo and ending in a reputable live music venue. Well, apparently we weren't the only ones with this plan. We were promptly told (in a slightly condescending way) that there was a 60-minute wait. (Instead, my date was relocated to Sambuca, which was a fabulous dining experience worthy of its own separate entry.)

After an unfortunate kitchen accident left my dinner plans in ruins, I found myself again in the revolving glass entrance into Cantina Laredo. While I had high expectations for the experience as much as the meal, I have to say that the experience left much to be desired. The meal, what I was able to eat of it in the time I was allotted by the wait staff, was enjoyable. We were promptly seated and served (no hour-long wait on a Sunday evening!) and started with a round of margaritas (but unfortunately only had time for 1 before the bartender made last call). Then we indulged in the Top Shelf Guacamole, made fresh at the table. If you are at all a fan of guac, you simply must have this! While more expensive than your standard Las Palmas-style dip, it was absolutely worth it. And it feeds up to 4 people, at least according to the menu.

The Cilantro Chicken Salad (developed by one of the Nashville chefs and now served at all 30 locations) was hearty but light and was the perfect way to end a weekend full of heavy holiday eating. The mole sauce on the Enchiladas de Mole was also fabulous; but you have to be prepared to enjoy it. It's dark and rich and an acquired taste. If you're already a fan, though, try this one.

So yes, the food was good and the company  better, but the waiter was, well...bad. It was obvious that we were interrupting their plans to close and go home. Because there were other patrons when we first walked in, we were initially treated like normal customers. But as the crowd thinned, I started to feel rushed by our waiter. He started vacuuming right under our feet (and commenting on its poor performance), pulled the plates away before we were really finished, and hovered awkwardly. And then, since the restaurant was virtually empty and the Christmas music suddenly seemed loud, he made comments on how much he hated the music, and--I kid you not--said "Bah Humbug!" as he placed our check on the table. Honestly, the man said Bah Humbug! 

I  want to give Cantina Laredo a second chance. I want to sit and leisurely sip a margarita and truly enjoy the guacamole. I don't want to be pressured into eating fast or hating the music. I want to enjoy the experience. So now I'm looking for another good excuse to go back but clearly not late on a Sunday evening. 

Until then, Feliz Navidad  and buen apetito!