A World Of Tastes

I know that Uncle R and I probably worry our seester, CiCi, with our slightly exotic food tastes… and maybe SanFranS worries her a bit with “interesting food choices” too! (HA!) But it is true, that Uncle R and I dearly love to try different ethnic foods and international tastes from around the world. But, when I first came to Nashville years ago there weren’t many choices. My love of sushi began – not with restaurant choices – but with what my friend, Keishi, would make when a “fresh tuna” shipment came in at a local international market or a “care package” arrived from his mom filled with Japanese pickles, spices and teas.

For years good Mexican food has been a favorite for Uncle R and me with frequent visits to the most authentic stores that we can find in our city. La Hacienda restaurant on Nolensville Road - along what is often fondly called Nashville’s "Avenue Of The Americas” - is always a good choice and sometimes our church group gathers there together after the 6pm Sunday service. I am including a photo here of our pastor nervously peering down the table at an “interesting” dish that Uncle R ordered.

Still farther down Nolensville Road is La Terraza. Uncle R and I visited there recently and since we hadn’t been there for awhile we had to order our old standards – Carne Asada (tender slices of charbroiled sirloin steak served with a salad and avocado slices) for me and for Uncle R his beloved Filete Perla (fish fillet and chopped shrimp baked in a creamy sauce with onions, bell peppers and tomatoes). It’s pretty exciting when the Filete Perla is served, because they cook it in a little packet of tin foil and bring it to your table with a happy little flame sprouting from an indentation in the center. People around us always stare and Uncle R likes to remark; “It gives a WHOLE new meaning to (the phrase that you usually hear in a Mexican restaurant) ‘the plate is hot’!” You can’t really tell much about the flame in the photo… but it’s pretty impressive to see!

Nearer home we sometimes pick up some freshly made ceviche and bring it back to our house to have for a Saturday lunch with sliced avocados and maybe a handful of chips. One day when we stopped by to pick up a batch we decided to try the little taco stand out front and see what kind of Tacos Auténticos with chorizo they might make for us and found that they were delicious!

But there are some other interesting international food choices in Nashville these days too. For several anniversaries and birthdays we have chosen a Turkish restaurant on the west side of Nashville called Anatolia. We have a good friend who works there as a server and there have been some of our visits that we have asked him to just “bring us what looks good in the kitchen!”… We love to do that and have had the opportunity to try grilled lamb dishes, perfect baked salmon with dill weed, creamy house-made Turkish ravioli – a pasta stuffed with seasoned ground lamb and served in garlic-yogurt sauce topped with melted hot butter sprinkled with red pepper and mint.

Several years ago our friend, Lillybah, introduced us to Vietnamese restaurants here in town and a nutritionist additionally informed us that the Vietnamese specialty, pho soup, is actually a very healthy meal choice. It is a big bowl brimming with rice noodles; broth and chunks of whatever meat might be chosen. On the side you are offered bean sprouts, lime, basil, jalapenos and sometimes mint to add as you wish.

In our own neighborhood Uncle R and I have recently found – of all things – a Bosnian restaurant. We had heard about it – passed it and wondered about what they might serve – and finally gave it a try. We were thrilled with the welcoming & talented chef, her lovely & helpful assistant and the fresh, tasty & interesting food that was placed in front of us. We have been back to Café Bosna several times and Uncle R – ever his adventuresome self – keeps trying interesting dishes; paprika chicken, tiny & delicate stuffed bell peppers in a savory brown sauce and night before last, lamb stew. I, however, am stuck on the first thing that I tried there – a spinach and feta omelet. It is the best omelet that I have had since the luscious one that I dined on in Paris. This amazing chef also whips up crepes from scratch and so I had to try the “Nutella Crepes” (pictured here)…. Yummm….

Uncle R and I have also been delving into the world of Indian cuisine this past year or so and just this past evening we tried a new Indian restaurant called Shagor just down the road from us in Mt. Juliet. We had a hot curry, basmati seasoned rice, vegetable curry as a side dish and tandoori chicken, all washed down with some iced chai tea.

There are also Ethiopian restaurants in Nashville and we have been very curious… but perhaps not quite brave enough yet… to give them a try… (gulp!)… Someday…

Love to the Pamela’s Girls,

Auntie J