Margot Cafe

Apr21 by Sarah

One of my dear college friends came into town a few Sundays ago. We decided to go to brunch at Marche Artisan Foods in East Nashville. We arrived at about 10am and were told the wait was about 45 minutes. We took the time to catch up and after an hour of waiting, were told it would be another 45 minutes. We decided that was just too long and looked around for another brunch place.

Just around the corner was Margot Cafe. There was no wait and the menu looked delicious. My friend ordered sweet potato pancakes with mascarpone cream. While I did not try them, they looked lovely and she proclaimed they were wonderful.

I opted for a little more protein and ordered the poached eggs over polenta with a venison ragout, topped with shaved Parmesan cheese. I had never tried venison and was a little worried it would be “gamey”. I was very wrong. The poached eggs added a richness to the polenta/stew mixture. The sharpness of the Parmesean really balanced the dish. My only minor complaint is that is was served with a fork and I really needed a spoon to enjoy all the delicious broth.

Margot was fantastic. I have a feeling it might be my next East Nashville brunch destination instead of Marche.

Blue Plate Cafe

Feb28 by Sarah

Recently Cary and I hopped down the Memphis to visit some of our family. I’ve been visiting Memphis (Cary’s home town) for seven years and this was the first time that he took me to the Blue Plate Cafe. I thought maybe it was a little over-rated and that’s why we had never been, but boy was I wrong. (After I asked him, it turns out it was just poor scheduling and lack of opportunity.)

The biscuits were my favorite. I’ve been in the South my whole life and am a self-professed carb lover. These came to the table warm, had a delightfully buttery crisp top and were soft and doughy on the inside. (We recently had some biscuits at a restaurant that I love. Cary asked me what I thought about them… I said they were ok, but not as good as the Blue Plate. These are now my gold standard.)

The Belgium waffle was hot (Really, so much about good breakfast food is about the temperature it is served. A cold waffle just tastes like mush.) and had a delightfully crispy texture. It was so big, I could only eat about half of it. Of course, it could have been that biscuit or two I had as an appetizer…

Cary enjoyed the omelet with skillet potatoes. The potatoes had a nice crispy brown exterior, while maintaining a moist interior. The omelet was fluffy with a good mixture of sausage and cheese.

The entire Blue Plate Cafe experience was a pleasure and we will be visiting again when we are in Memphis.

The Bakery and Cafe at Rose Cottage

Oct22 by Sarah

Recently we left the Bug with his grandparents and took a weekend trip to Callaway Gardens. While in the area, we stumbled upon the Bakery and Cafe at Rose Cottage run by chef John Makin.

The grilled pear and brie sandwich is served warm on cranberry walnut bread. It was the best upscale grilled cheese sandwich that either of us had eaten. The sweetness of the pears and the cranberry bread really complimented the brie.

Cary ordered the roast beef sandwich with the soup of the day, which was potato leek. The soup was the star of the entire meal. The potato leek soup was extremely smooth, almost like a broth. The flavors blended so well, it’s almost indescribable. It was a great compliment to the tangy cheddar on the medium rare roast beef sandwich.

If you visit Callaway gardens, you should definitely stop by the Bakery and Cafe at Rose Cottage. Order the soup. You will thank us!

Mack and Kate’s Cafe

Sep25 by Sarah

We recently visited Mack and Kate’s Cafe in Franklin for Sunday brunch. Normally when I go to a restaurant, I don’t pay much attention to the decor. In general, I’m pretty focused on the food. What I first noticed when I walked in the door was how peaceful the atmosphere was and how nicely the restaurant was decorated. The bar made out of what looks like reclaimed wood reminded me of a nice restaurant in Charleston or Savannah.

We started our brunch with a blood orange mimosa and a bloody Mary. Mack and Kate’s doesn’t make the mistake many places do with a bloody Mary, that is getting WAY too fancy. The drink was a nice combination of tomato juice, peppery vodka, and good splashes of Worcestershire and hot sauce. The overall combination was nicely refreshing with a good kick to go with a tasty brunch.

After ordering our drinks, blueberry muffins were promptly brought to our table. The muffins were light, fluffy and had a delightful buttery taste.

We started the meal with fried green tomatoes topped with goat cheese and a chipotle aioli. We liked the fried green tomatoes because they were thick cut, which meant they actually stood up to being cooked, and didn’t fall apart like the thin cut ones we see so often. The goat cheese added a unique tang to the tomatoes and the chipotle aioli perfectly completed the dish.

The eggs Benedict had a traditional presentation with a tangy hollandaise sauce and slightly runny eggs. It did seem a little light on the ham, but the tasty red potatoes on the side more than made up for it.

The southern crab stack featured seasoned grits topped with a crab cake and smothered with a shrimp and andouille sausage saute. The grits had a nice creamy texture and were perfectly complimented with the addition of the crab cakes. We also found out that the red potatoes were delicious dipped in the cheesy sauce that topped the crab stack.

Mack and Kate’s was an excellent way to start the day. They take pride in using local ingredients and developing seasonal menus. We can’t wait to try them for lunch or dinner.

Mack and Kate’s Cafe

3078 Maddux Way
Franklin, TN 37069

Loveless Cafe

May31 by Sarah

On one of our very first dates, we went to the Loveless Cafe. As we wait for our little forker to come along, we wanted to revisit it sans child.

The meal started with all you can eat buttery biscuits, served with blackberry, strawberry and apricot jam. The biscuits are light and just about melt in your mouth. They are not the ginormous size we’ve gotten used to, but just the right size for that one drizzle of honey or spread of butter or bit of jam.

The country fried steak was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, the gravy was nice and creamy with a little bit of pepper to it, and the biscuits worked great to sop up the last bits of egg and gravy.

The country ham was chewy but not tough. The salt wasn’t overwhelming, but the ham had a very strong taste. The acidity of the red-eye gravy was a nice accompaniment as it did cut the strength of the taste.

The waffle was hot, chewy and not too sweet. The bacon was cooked to perfection… not too soggy, not to crisp. Surprisingly this is hard to find. The cheese grits were a little overwhelming to the point I couldn’t really eat them. The sharp cheddar was more of a main ingredient than an accompaniment to accent the flavor.

The Loveless is an experience in itself with all sorts of little shops to browse through. This is great, as the wait when we got there was two hours. Luckily, we called ahead and our wait was only 20 minutes. The food was definitely worth the wait!

The Loveless Cafe

8400 Hwy 100
Nashville, TN 37221

J. Christopher’s

Apr7 by Sarah

Recently one of us has been craving waffles (bet you can’t guess who). We have been looking in the Cool Springs area for a brunch place that had waffles and a heavier fare for Cary. During a quick search on Google maps, J. Christopher’s popped up. We were pretty excited about the find since we had tried J. Christopher’s on a trip to Atlanta a few years ago.

One of the nice things that we immediately noticed is that they serve Bongo Java coffee. We are pretty particular about our coffee, so this was a major plus.

The Belgian waffle came topped with strawberries, whipped cream and was dusted with powdered sugar. The syrup they brought was warm, which is such a small detail that makes a big difference, in my opinion. The waffle was light and fluffy, quite perfect.

The Route 66 skillet was full of corned beef hash and potatoes, though both could have been crisped up on the griddle a little bit more to give it some crispy bits. The skillet was topped with two eggs that really needed to be extra sunny side up for the yolks to mix everything together.

J. Christopher’s was so good the first time, we also visited again the next week with family. The only thing that was odd is that both times, there was a burnt smell in the restaurant. It eventually dissipated, but came back later in the meal as if something they cook boils over onto the griddle and burns. It can be a little off-putting, but the food is still very good.

J. Christopher’s

620 Frazier Dr
Franklin, TN 37067

Merridee’s Bread Basket

Jan24 by Sarah

On a recent Saturday, we ventured to Merridee’s Breadbasket in Franklin, TN. Merridee’s serves breakfast until 10:30 am and begins serving lunch at 11:00 am. We arrived at 10:50am and they were still taking breakfast orders. We were in the mood for lunch, so decided to try a few pastry appetizers while we waited.

Cary decided to try a pecan sticky bun. The bun had an almost praline-like topping with a nice, light but also chewy dough. It was absolutely delicious.

I opted for a raisin cinnamon roll with a light icing on top. Like Cary’s sticky bun, the dough was light and chewy. Many times cinnamon rolls have an overwhelming amount of cinnamon. This was not the case here. I was pleasantly surprised by the light cinnamon flavor. They had these packaged to take home. I was very tempted.

The small side salad was a mixture of fresh greens, carrots and cheese with homemade croutons. With the salad, you get a half piece of the famous Viking bread. The Viking bread is a really unique whole grain bread. Many times I feel like whole grain breads are gritty with hard grains that hurt my teeth. The Viking bread contains soft grains that accent the soft bread well.

The chicken salad was a mix of chicken, mayonnaise and celery on white bread bread. In my opinion, it was just a bit of a disappointment. I’m southern a believe that chicken salad should contain pecans and some sort of fruit. I’m sure people really like it, but it just wasn’t for me.

Merridee’s reuben came with a homemade thousand island dressing and was on the bakery’s delicious Viking bread. While the corned beef of the inside had been sliced, it was nearly falling apart tender and luckily had a good bit of cheese to hold things together. With the thick dressing to dip the sandwich in, as well as the substantial bread that was chock full of various seeds and grains, this turned out to be a top-notch reuben.

In our opinion, Merridee’s Breadbasket is true to their name. The thing they do the best are baked goods. The breads and pastries were excellent. We took home several of their dessert bars, a loaf of Viking Bread and a loaf of French Bread. We used the French Bread to make French toast and made cinnamon toast with the Viking bread.

Jackson’s Bar and Bistro

Sep23 by Sarah

One rainy Saturday, Cary and I decided to go to Jackson’s Bar and Bistro for brunch. I ordered the Florentine omelette with spinach, provolone cheese and garlic. I was a little worried that the garlic would be overpowering in the morning, but it was very light in the omelette. The spinach was fresh and a little oilier than I prefer, but overall tasty.

The Swiss cheese and bacon omelet featured lots of Swiss and plenty of pieces of smoky, crispy bacon. The Swiss didn’t overpower the bacon, which remained slightly crispy throughout the omelet.

The french onion hashbrowns were delightful. They had large chunks of onions and were topped with cheese. Also, the potatoes were large enough chunks that eat bite featured not only the crispy outside of the potato as well as the creamy potato-y inside.

We tried the cheese grits, too, which were your standard order grits with some white American cheese or something similar. All in all, a great brunch with lots of options.

Jackson’s Bar and Bistro

1800 21st Ave S
Nashville, TN 37212

Marche Artisan Foods

Sep16 by Sarah

Our friend Heather, author of Dr. Hbar, raves about Marche Artisan Foods. I regret that we were unable to visit the quaint bistro with Heather before she moved to the Midwest. We recently had a chance to visit Marche on a Sunday for brunch. During our 30 minute wait, we enjoyed an iced cafe au lait and people watching. There is a very eclectic crowd (from hipsters to… well, people like us… that wouldn’t know trendy if it hit us in the face) that enjoys Marche.

Marche’s menu varies with the season. Our waitress told us this was the last day for the peaches and ricotta on whole wheat bread with honey. With that little bit of peer pressure, we caved and tried it. The peaches were fresh, the ricotta was creamy and the honey accented both very well.

The steak and eggs came with roast potatoes and a tangy gremolata that seemed to have a touch of mint. The steak was very tender and paired well with the roast potatoes, both of which were useful in sopping up the bits of egg and creamy yolk. Overall a great way to start the day!

The omelet was stuffed with portobello mushrooms, Gruyere cheese and bacon. The eggs were fluffier than in most European omelets, which I tend to prefer. The salad that accompanied it was fresh and delicious, topped with a light oil and vinegar dressing.

Heather told us we absolutely must try Marche’s desserts, not that she had to twist our arm. The Panna Cotta was creamy and sweet, but also with the light addition of vanilla. The strawberries you can see on top were juicy and added a nice bit of texture to the overall dish.

The peaches were so delicious, I couldn’t resist the peach crumb pie. The texture was surprisingly smooth and the flavor was wonderful.

After hearing such good things about Marche, I can honestly say that it lived up to the hype!

Marche Artisan Foods

1000 Main St
Nashville, TN 37206

Wandering Wednesday: Chestnut Tree Tea Room

Sep15 by Sarah

On a recent trip to Denton, TX, I stopped by The Chestnut Tree Tea Room for lunch. They had a variety of iced and hot teas. Since it was August in Texas, I opted for the sweet tea. I had a hard time deciding between passion fruit, strawberry hibiscus or black currant sweet tea. I opted for the black currant tea and was not disappointed. It had a light currant flavor that I found very refreshing.

I absolutely love the funky decor of the tea room. The colorful chandelier in the middle of the room was my favorite.

Every table has a different set of fun salt shakers. I loved the cute puppies.

A variety of muffins were delivered to the table with regular and strawberry butter. One muffin was chocolate chip, which was great with the strawberry butter. The strawberry butter had actual bits of strawberries and wasn’t overwhelmingly sweet. The other muffins were some sort of fruit. I couldn’t exactly figure out what they were, but my best guess would be either apple or pear.

Everything on the menu looked delicious, so I ordered the “pick three” with a choice of a soup, salad and sandwich. The waitress suggested the fruit salad. I was a bit hesitant because I imagined frozen fruit that had been thawed. The beautiful salad on my plate could not have been farther from that image. The salad contained fresh bananas, apples, honeydew, cantaloupe, grapes, strawberries, kiwi and pineapple. The fruit had no trace of lemon juice, which is a pet peeve of mine. When I eat fruit, I want it to taste like the fruit not lemon juice. The salad was complemented perfectly with an almond yogurt dressing.

The chicken salad was served on beer wheat bread. The beer wheat bread was phenomenal. It was soft with a crunchy crust and a slight sweet taste. The chicken salad had chunks of chicken with almonds and celery.

The soup was a chilled avocado with tomatoes and tortilla chips. I enjoyed dipping the chips into the soup. Once the chips were gone, I lost interest in eating the pure soup, partially because I was full.

I couldn’t resist the strawberry pretzel salad for dessert. The crust is a delightful mix of pretzels, butter and sugar. The layers are sweet cream cheese and strawberry jello with fresh strawberries. After my large lunch, I could only manage a few bites, but it was divine.

Chestnut Tree Tea Room

107 W Hickory St
Denton, TX 76201

The Nashville Fork

Category Archives: Brunch

Margot Cafe

Blue Plate Cafe

The Bakery and Cafe at Rose Cottage

Mack and Kate’s Cafe

Loveless Cafe

J. Christopher’s

Merridee’s Bread Basket

Jackson’s Bar and Bistro

Marche Artisan Foods

Wandering Wednesday: Chestnut Tree Tea Room

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