Sushi | Bar, The Gulch
Seventeen courses sounded a bit daunting. And long. But the newly opened Sushi | Bar in The Gulch was anything but. If you love sushi and theatrics and have deep pockets, this omakase—a Japanese dining experience curated by the chef—is for you. Each piece of sushi is narrated by the chef and expertly prepared. Wine or sake tastings are optional. Afterwards, settle in for a drink at the sleek Golden Sound bar. @sushibarrestaurants—JM
Maiz de la Vida, South Gulch
We’ve known Chef Julio Hernandez since 2016, when he was cooking at the Foxland country club in Hendersonville. He hadn’t yet refined his authentic tortillas made from Oaxaca corn or stationed his famous food truck at Chopper or set up his tortilla factory and lunch place on Clarksville Highway. So, seeing Julio at this official new restaurant in Paseo South Gulch was super-gratifying. The entrance is at the back of the building through a lovely walkway connecting the old building with the new. @maiz_dlv —JM
Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken, Dickerson Pike
Most of the business in Gus’s the Saturday afternoon we visited was for takeout, but there are plenty of tables in this Memphis-based chicken chain, which sizzles up a solid bird—not too spicy—along with terrific sides and pies. @gusfriedchicken—JM
Noble’s Central, Metro Center
We’re suckers for light, bright spaces with plenty of windows, and the second location of Noble’s has it in spades. Metro Center seems like an odd place for a bar but is surprisingly perfect for this combination of beer, cornhole, dart boards, cheese curds and burnt-end sliders. The surprise here is the delightful patio overlooking the small lake and the Titans practice field. Firepits enhance the mood and—if you squint—make for an almost-nautical experience. @nobles_nashville —JM
Etch, Factory at Franklin
Chef Deb Paquette’s legendary penchant for fusing world cuisines and flavors into elaborate—often zany—medleys is on full display at her second location of Etch. Think pan-seared scallops with Thai lemongrass curry, chili-glazed heirloom carrots, crispy rice cake, pineapple relish, country ham XO sauce, beet-ginger purée and fried basil. Or butternut masala grits with pickled apple chutney, roasted squash, kale, parsnip korma, fenugreek pepitas, pomegranate molasses, mint walnut relish, feta and harissa cranberry roasted parsnip. A three-ring circus of taste and texture. @etchrestaurant —JM
Shalimar Indian Kitchen, Midtown Foods
We’re still reeling from the move of our curry mainstay from Green Hills, but Shalimar abides as takeout, serving its beloved roster of chicken tikka masala, biryani and naan—along with that magical green yogurt-herb sauce—from the modern-day automat of Midtown Foods. Order online and use a code for contactless pickup from the cubbies at 614 18th Ave. N., near that cool pump track at Watkins Park. @midtownfoodsnsh —CF
SweetMilk, Donelson
After a night of binge-watching Life of Fire, hosted by pitmaster Pat Martin of barbecue fame, we raced to Donelson to check out his breakfast-lunch joint, SweetMilk. A partnership with Bill Darsinos of Greko Greek Street Food, Southside Grill and the adjacent Salento Italia, SweetMilk refers to Pat’s grandmother’s name for not-buttermilk. The cast-iron biscuit recipe is hers, too. Benedict, French toast, bacon, eggs, house-made jam and cinnamon butter were spectacular. Indoor-outdoor lazy Sunday vibe was even better. @sweetmilkeats —CF
Shotgun Willie’s BBQ, Madison
We find ourselves in Madison more often these days, and it has a lot to do with Shotgun Willie’s BBQ, where owner Bill Laviolette is smoking up Texas-style ’cue that qualifies as destination beef. We’ll happily eat Shotgun Willie’s barbecue—along with bourbon banana pudding—in the strip mall storefront, or we’ll lug a saddle of brisket home to slice and serve to friends. @sgwbbq —CF
Pinewood Social, Downtown
We didn’t end up plunging in the patio pool or bowling in the retro lanes behind the dining room, but we made a day of it at Max and Benjamin Goldberg’s cheerful “third space,” which deftly fills the social gap between home and office. Over the daytime hours that we lingered, we drank coffee, ate a laudably healthy bowl of kale, guac, pico and scrambled eggs and soaked up the Wi-Fi in a way that didn’t even seem to annoy our server. We stayed so long it eventually became time to order banana pudding. @pinewoodnashville —CF
El Palenque, Green Hills
There’s a whole menu of comforting dishes in this low-profile Green Hills landmark. My family tells me the fajitas are excellent. But I wouldn’t know, because I will not be distracted from my chicken soup, which is thebest soup. If you’re not slurping a bowl of hot broth studded with shredded chicken, Spanish rice, chopped tomatoes and cool avocados, I respect your choice, but I’ll never understand it. @palenquenashville —CF