Food for Thought Dinners

UPDATE 5/3/05: We need to get final numbers to the resturants and then release any unconfirmed seats so please send your requests as you are reading this.

The Food For Thought dinners are a way to continue discussions raised during sessions earlier in the day in a more informal, personal setting. All dinners will begin at 8pm on Saturday. All tables will be reserved under the name of the discussion leader. Attending the session is not a prerequisite for attending the dinner but is generally a good idea. Since space is limited, you must sign up if you'd like to attend. This is IN ADDITION to registering for BlogNashville. We will do our best to accomodate one of your first three choices but we can't make any guarantees. Please note that all attendees will be expected to pay for their own meal.

To sign up for a dinner, please send an email to info-at-mediabloggers.org with your name and indicating which dinner you'd like to attend (plus a 2nd and 3rd choice).

click "continued reading" for the complete list of options

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1. Patrick's in the Music Row Section of Nashville is 1.41 miles from the Belmont Campus at 1711 Division Street (742-3900 $$ Cajun)

Dinner Topic: Podcasting & Audioblogging
Host: Brendan Greeley

PATRICK'S An unpretentious, laid-back kind of joint that doesn't put a lot of account into fancy accoutrements, Patrick's focuses attention where it really counts: on attentive service, quality of product and a respect for customers' pocketbooks. This restaurant on the edge of Music Row specializes in what owner Patrick Barber calls "Southeast Louisiana cuisine." As he puts it, "There's Cajun, and there's Creole, and there's in between." It is in the "in-between" where Patrick's excels. Chef Michael Reinhardt takes elements of both styles and puts his own stamp on the menu, setting the table for a delectable dining experience everyone will enjoy. Indeed, there are so many gems in Reinhardt's treasure chest that it seems unfair to choose one at the expense of another. The marinated crab claws starter will leave plenty of room for subsequent courses, and the indescribably delicious Plaquemines Parish smoked pork loin po'boy also comes highly recommended. The flavor-infused, incredibly moist meat is sliced thin.

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2. Mirror in the 12th South Section of Nashville is 0.86 miles from the Belmont Campus at 2317 12th Ave South (383-8330 $$ American)

Dinner Topic: Global Voices
Host: Rebecca MacKinnon

MIRROR With their 12 South restaurant, husband-and-wife chef-owners Michael and Colleen DeGregory have introduced Nashvillians to tapas, the Spanish tradition of making a meal out of two- to three-bite appetizer-type dishes; at this hip hang, big taste comes in small packages. To satisfy heartier appetites, the menu also offers a diverse selection of more conventionally portioned appetizers and entrées. Intriguing specials are offered daily, according to DeGregory's globally influenced whims. It's a neighborhood hangout favored by a clientele that reflects the area's diverse, left-of-center residents.

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3. The Yellow Porch in the Berry Hill Section of Nashville is 3.46 miles from the Belmont Campus at 734 Thompson Lane (386-0260 $$ American)

Dinner Topic: Military Blogging
Host: Robin Burk

YELLOW PORCH The garden patch out front is a clear signal of the fresh delights to be found inside, where the cooking philosophy is to take the most direct route from the earth to the table. Owners Katie and Gep Nelson set the tone for this restaurant (as well as for their Brentwood place Wild Iris), and they hire chefs with a strong commitment to regional, seasonal fare. Executive chef Kim Totzke has raided the kitchen of Nashville's priciest restaurant, the Wild Boar, for new chef Chris Howes, who was chef de cuisine there. His first menu for the restaurant will be in fall/winter 2004, but Totzke promises that her popular lamb and white bean cassoulet will remain.

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4. Granite Falls in the Midtown Section of Nashville is 1.40 miles from the Belmont Campus at 2000 Broadway (327-9250 $$ American)

Dinner Topic: Making Money
Host: Henry Copeland

GRANITE FALLS everything is good and nothing is too expensive. Remember, if you really want to make money from blogging you need to keep your costs down!

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5. The Acorn in the West End Section of Nashville is 1.78 miles from the Belmont Campus at 114 28th Ave N (320-4399 $$$ American)

Dinner Topic: Citizen's Media - CLOSED OUT
Host: Dan Gillmor

THE ACORN Proprietor of this delightful midtown restaurant is John Leonard, a savvy, goal-oriented 25-year-old from Washington, D.C., with a degree in history from Vanderbilt. He's assisted invaluably by Shon Hudspeth, who serves as conductor of this well-performed medley of eating, drinking and merry-making. Downstairs holds well-spaced seating for 75 in a sexy and sophisticated room of rich colors, low lights, lush texture and dramatic art-an ideal setting for a quiet dinner with romantic inclinations, celebratory tones or professional preoccupations. At the top of the stairs is another show altogether; the big bar and seating area is lively, loud and full of vibrant energy. Service is excellent, with a laudable attention to detail. Executive chef William O. Greene's menu is attuned to the season, with salads well-balanced in texture and taste, and superb side dishes accompanying the entrées.

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6. Sunset Grill in the Hillsboro Village Section of Nashville is .59 miles from the Belmont Campus at 2001 Belcourt Avenue (386-3663 $$ Seafood)

Dinner Topic: Building Blogospheres
Host: Hossein Derakhshan

SUNSET GRILL A hybrid of every restaurant that industry veteran Randy Rayburn has ever worked in or run (and there have been plenty). A legendary taskmaster with eyes in the back of his head, Rayburn insists on a 150-percent effort from every member of his staff, and it shows. Like any successful restaurateur, he is always there, and nothing escapes his attention. It pays off: Seat for seat, no restaurant in town sends more plates out of the kitchen than Sunset Grill with better, more consistent results. The California-influenced menu has remained contemporary and fresh.

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7. Midtown Cafe in the Midtown Section of Nashville is 1.63 miles from the Belmont Campus at 102 19th Avenue South (320-7176 $$ American)

Dinner Topic: Faith-Based Blogging
Host: LaShawn Barber

MIDTOWN CAFE At lunch, there's not an empty chair in the 70-some-seat house. In the evenings, the lights dim, and Midtown embraces couples who frequently choose it for a romantic evening or anniversary celebration. The food-modest, unpretentious, but always well-executed-doesn't get in the way of deals or dates; on loan from Sunset Grill, chef Brian Uhl recently redesigned the menu. Co-owner Randy Rayburn's legendary attention to detail shows, particularly in the attentive but never overbearing service. Martini lovers swear the best in town are made at this little bar.

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8. Mambu in the Midtown Section of Nashville is 1.81 miles from the Belmont Campus at 1806 Hayes Street (329-1293 $$ American)

Dinner Topic: Video Blogging
Host: Jay Dedman

MAMBU This collaboration between chef/co-owners Corey Griffith and Anita Hartel-two wildly imaginative, highly individual talents-is a creative, unique, slightly quirky dining experience so thoughtfully priced it can be enjoyed often. The ambience is so welcoming, you'll be dropping in when you're not even hungry. The dishes are unpredictable-heavy on the Asian influences, with a smattering of Mediterranean-but diners can be assured that their meal will be memorable. Offerings include specialty martinis and an affordable wine list, as well as a separate bar/lounge area to meet for cocktails.

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9. Firefly Grille in the Green Hills Section of Nashville is 2.77 miles from the Belmont Campus at 2201 Bandywood Drive (383-0042 $$ Cajun)

Dinner Topic: A Respectful Disagreement
Host: Dave Winer

FIREFLY GRILLE When longtime restaurateur Chase Cole decided to open an upscale, contemporary American restaurant, he borrowed the name from a street in Nashville's most upscale neighborhood-Belle Meade-and placed it in the city's second most upscale neighborhood, Green Hills. Deer Park Grille was nestled in the curve of Bandywood that's also home to some very upscale retailers; a certain well-heeled crowd loved it for many good reasons, but they only loved it one night every couple of weeks. So Cole gave the place a colorful and whimsical interior makeover, whisked off the linens, and 86-ed the printed menu in favor of a chalkboard that announces a rotating-and concise-menu. Martinis are still sipped by sophisticates at the intimate little bar, but these days sippie cups are also welcome in the dining room. Of the entrées, I would advise diners to reel in the salmon or whatever the fish of the day might be. Among the side dishes, order the asparagus if possible; chef Scott Witherow has a magic touch with the vegetable. The chocolate creme brule is a torrid affair, and it may well sum up the appeal of Firefly Grille: your meal will feel indulgent and upscale, but the restaurant is a genuinely casual affair.

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10. Sole Mio in the Downtown Section of Nasvhille is 2.73 miles from the Belmont Campus at 311 3rd Avenue South (256-4013 $$ Italian)

Dinner Topic: Local Politics - CLOSED OUT
Host: Ed Cone

SOLE MIO If you're looking for genuine Italian food, then visit this restaurant, sitting on a hilltop overlooking downtown Nashville. Chef Carlo Agnoletti, who owns Sole Mio with his New York-born wife Debra, is from the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy, known for its supremacy in pasta-making, particularly the fresh egg varieties. It's no wonder, then, that Sole Mio's lasagna is made of millefoglie --"one thousand leaves" of egg noodles layered with béchamel and Bolognese sauces. Other highlights include the manicotti filled with ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan and spinach, and the sinfully rich fettuccini of homemade egg noodles with fresh cream, sweet butter and loads of Parmesan. Sole Mio is also known for its thin-crusted, brick-oven pizzas.

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11. Tayst in the Hillsboro in the Village Section of Nashville is 0.59 miles from the Belmont Campus at 2100 21st Avenue South (383-1953 $$ American)

Dinner Topic: Committing Journalism
Host: Staci Kramer

TAYST This dinner-only restaurant is a partnership between Dan Morrissey (a veteran of F. Scott's, Park Cafe and Midtown Cafe) and chef Jeremy Barlow (The Trace, Midtown, Atlantis). Diners enter through the small bar, manned by Steve Boyer, who boasts an impressive knowledge of wines and is eager to share it. Less-is-more is the classy rule at this restaurant, extending even to its lower-cased name: tayst, subtly announced on a painted sign hanging over the door. Morrissey masterfully orchestrates the flow of the room, and his skilled and knowledgeable wait staff take their cues from him, expertly tending to every detail in present yet unobtrusive style. In the back of the house, Barlow, a CIA grad, is performing some skilled and knowledgeable wizardry of his own. Barlow's commitment is to cook seasonally, and his record so far forecasts fine dining for patrons of tayst; his treatment of fish is particularly adept. The helpful practice of suggesting a wine by the glass for each dish remains year-round.

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12. Red Restaurant in the Midtown Section of Nashville is 1.77 miles from the Belmont Campus at 1517 Church Street (329-2912 $$ American)

Dinner Topic: Protecting Bloggers
Host: Mark Glaser

RED RESTAURANT Now much warmer and more welcoming since its redo-thanks to swaths of red fabric, a paint job, mirrors and art-Red also got a new menu with Kote's arrival. One side is dubbed Fun Fare-with bar appetizers like sesame chicken fingers, a fried shrimp roll, sandwiches and some pastas-that can be ordered and eaten at the bar next door. The flip side is titled Fine Fare, and it is from here that my group largely chose their dinner; most of our choices were very successful. I was so very happy to see that Kote brought along my absolutely favorite thing from his Belmont Boulevard restaurant.

Reviews and Descriptions from Nashville Scene.

Keep an eye out for an upcoming post on the BlogNashville After Party where everyone will be invited to meet up after the Food for Thought Dinners.