A Miss at Macke's

One of the first places I learned about when I first moved to Nashville was Macke's in Green Hills. Unlike all the other places I learned about when I first moved to Nashville, I have not been countless times and have not memorized the menu. Until today, when I was invited to a luncheon held under the skylight of Grace's Plaza restaurant.

Macke's, sister restaurant to Franklin's Mack and Kate's Cafe, creates an ambiance of sophisticated elegance despite its location directly across from a county clerk satellite office and several other retailers. With white linen tablecloths and napkins and hot tea served in delicate china teapots, any occasion would be deemed special at Macke's. Unfortunately, I didn't venture into the actual restaurant today, so I can't describe the interior, but the website boasts a few pretty pictures. It must be gorgeous, though, because diners can purchase the floral arrangements direct from Macke's.

As pretty as it all seemed to be when I sat down, I should have ordered something dainty and girly, befitting of a women's luncheon. Something like the Apple Pear Grilled Chicken Salad, featuring candied nuts, blue cheese, and a cinnamon mustard vinaigrette in addition to the titular ingredients. Or maybe the Patty Melt served atop rye bread with two kinds of cheeses, Russian dressing, and grilled onions. Or the Lobster BLT Wrap, consisting of lobster, goat cheese, caramelized onions wrapped up nicely with the bacon, lettuce and tomato part. In fact, as I peruse the menu now to proffer these suggestions, I wonder why I chose what I ordered: a club sandwich.

Don't get me wrong, it was a good club sandwich. It was made with deli-thin ham, dry shaved turkey, two cheeses, lettuce, bacon, and fresh red tomatoes on toasted sourdough bread. However, the bacon was undercooked and a little too fatty for my taste. And there was so much mayo that everything slipped and slid until all I was left with was a messy pile of food on my plate that I couldn't make heads or tails of how to eat. Meanwhile, everyone else had their prim and proper salads and were able to easily participate in the conversation because they were not trying to figure out how the most ladylike way to eat a 12" tall sandwich!

I love a good club sandwich, I really do! But not at a place that serves its tea in heirloom china. Why did I make this selection you ask? Well, I may have mentioned once or twice how loooong it takes me to select a meal from a menu full of many delicious choices. Overwhelmed and feeling the pressure to order quickly, I said the first thing that popped off the paper at me. Looking back, I would definitely have opted for something more unique to Macke's. I also think that if I was going to pay $13 for lunch I should have something like Lobster Mac & Cheese or the Crab Cake Baguette. Or at least asked for a to-go box so I could finish mutilating my sandwich in private.

The End Notes:

• Atmosphere seems welcoming for small intimate groups, lunch with the girlfriends, or a business dinner. 
• Unless someone else is picking up the tab (or you're trying to impress your dining partner) stay away from Macke's for lunch. It's a little on the pricey side.
• If you have more than an hour and don't mind indulging a little, though, then do go to Macke's for lunch. It'll be worth it. (As long as you order something unique.)
• In Franklin? Check out Mack and Kate's Cafe for a more upscale experience.
• Messy sandwiches and linen napkins don't mix!

The view from the porch

You know you've had a good meal when you can remember what you had to eat more than a year later. Such was my experience at The Yellow Porch, tucked cozily and quietly on busy Thompson Lane in Berry Hill.

With its namesake yellow porch out front and its fresh veggie garden, The Yellow Porch might be one of the city's cutest and most secret little hideaways. Serving lunch from 11-3 and dinner starting at 5, you can easily get here no matter which part of the city you live in. Despite its proximity to my office and home, I have never been for lunch, though I hear rave reviews about the menu.

So what did I order for dinner on a cold December night in 2008? Penne pasta with garlic and tomatoes in a spicy vodka cream sauce with freshly grated parmesan cheese, with chicken. OK, so maybe I cheated and glanced at the menu to jog my memory, but I knew in an instant what I'd eaten. Yummy!! I haven't quite had a pasta dish that has compared. It sounds simple, but it was elegant, substantial, and very generous. For dessert I split a tiramisu, which was also delicious and happens to be the last time I've ever split dessert with someone. I mean, if you're going all out, you might as well go all out, right?

During Nashville Original's Restaurant Week , I highly suggest you head over to Berry Hill and have lunch at this quaint little place. Don't let those clamoring for Jersey Mike's deter you from trying out The Yellow Porch. Or if you'd rather not fight the crowds, then schedule dinner here. This week is a great opportunity to try some of this fresh, delicious fare.

Buon appetito, y'all!

Not a place for Charlie Brown

In honor of Nashville Originals' Restaurant Week, I am catching up on missed blogging opportunities and posting about restaurants I have visited that are included in this week's fabulous specials. Really, I implore you to check them out if you are at all able to.

One of the restaurants featured this week is ChaChah, in the Belmont area. A place that prides itself on tapas, ChaChah is great if you're looking to make a dinner of small plates or share with several friends. Tucked cozily onto Belmont Boulevard, ChaChah features a variety of tapas with Latino flair. In fact, if you visit their website, the menu headings are written en espanol. Because the restaurant offers fresh, seasonal items, what is currently on the menu is not what was featured when I visited in late September. But I do know I enjoyed everything we sampled!

What you simply must try is the Black Tea Julep, made with Eagle Rare bourbon,sweetened organic tea, and mint. it made a fan out of this lover of Kentucky Derby's signature beverage. As a gin fan, I think the Cucumber White Tea-ni, made with Hendrick's, cucumber water, white tea, and soda, would also be delicious, but definitely more of a warm-weather drink.

January would probably not be the ideal time to sit on the patio, but it was quite delightful during Indian Summer. At any time of year, though, and especially during Restaurant Week, I think ChaChah is worth checking out, either with your girlfriends, on a date, or even for a casual night out with several other couples.

Buon appetito, y'all!