Unfortunately, Nashville is not known for its food, like say Cincinnati, New Orleans or even Memphis. If anything, they are building a reputation for poor quality at high prices. Unless you like biscuits with every meal, it is slim picking here.
We have tried about every restaurant our stomachs could handle. . . and when I try to think of a favorite. . .I keep wandering off to Miami, Southern California, or any number of cities throughout America. I used to be valuable to traveling music shows for guiding them to the best restaurants in cities across America. . .no matter how small. . I could find 'em. Perhaps I was born with a dog's nose.
Duck is difficult to get right. Easy to make it too greasy or too dry, or to overdo or underdo the sauces. Best I have had was in a tiny restaurant in Greenwich Village district of New York City. . .can't remember the name "Fat Tuesdays" come's to mind, but that might not be correct. . . anyway, there was a terrific jazz trio, with my favorite upright bass player, George DuVivier. . .just a few feet away. . .and a raspberry sauce, if I recall. . .it has been more than a decade.
I made a duck for Thanksgiving. . .[along with Turkey]. . . stuffed it with oranges, apples, cloves, limes, and a touch of brown sugar, if I recall. . . this helped absorb some of the strong juices, while helping to lightly flavor the meat. Served it with a really wild dressing of Minnesota wild black rice, Oregon wild hazelnuts, other long grain wild rices, dried cranberries, and a few twigs, rocks a dirt from out back. . .well it seemed like it anyway. And an orange marmalade made from scratch, mostly for dipping. Turkey had a similarly wild cornbread stuffing. Wild theme was represented throughout.
After dinner, we all felt like going out and taking a bite out of a tree. . .or shooting a deer or something. Seemed like Ralph Lauren was going pull up on horseback and give us some sort of award.
Memorable to say the least.
Rande Is |
