Steadfast Commons - The Newest (+ fab) Downtown Nashville Restaurant/Coffee Destination

photos: Mikaela Hamilton Steinwedell

A beautiful new addition to the Nashville dining/culinary/coffee/drinking scene, Steadfast Commons -- a fabulously unique and beautifully executed spot -- should be immediately added to any local foodie's list of ‘go-tos’ when finding thy-selves downtown. The gentlemen behind the uber-popular coffee shop Steadfast in Germantown quietly opened the doors to this newest venture in January.

Commons features Steadfast roasts, teas, homemade pastries and lunch items during the day (yum), and transitions to a dinner and cocktail-focused menu in the evening. And y’all, I for one am SO excited to have a new option downtown to hit before shows. So, yay.

Now, for the dirty (and quite important) deets. The team have again enlisted acclaimed chef Julia Sullivan (Per Se, Blue Hill, Pinewood Social) to create the market-driven food menu, which expands upon the culinary program she created for Steadfast in Germantown. Sullivan is joined in the kitchen by chef Megan Jay (Silly Goose, Dinner Lab).

Cocktail specialist Troy Sidle (a veteran of Pouring Ribbons and The Violet Hour and founder of Canvas Bar Design) has created a cocktail menu exclusively for Steadfast Commons. To capitalize on the excellent coffee program, created by co-founder Nathanael Mehrens, many of the drinks utilize Steadfast flash chilled espresso in bitters, liqueurs, syrups and sodas (and let me tell you, are all incredible). Wine and beer will also be available.

Next time you find yourself downtown, I’d recommend popping in to take a peek. Because coffee. And good food. And dranks.

Steadfast Commons

299 Demonbruen Street

Nashville, TN 37201
Hours: 7am - 3pm and 5pm - 12am.

More pics below.

Moto - M Street's Newest Venture / A Review

Last week I was able to experience M Street's newest creation Moto Cucina during a special event for Nashville bloggers. Upon hearing mixed reviews initially, I must admit I was a bit hesitant to give Moto a try- but let me start of by saying thanks to M Street for the invite, and ya'll, I left far from disappointed. The food, the service, the space. All fantastic.

We started dinner off right with a healthy pouring of red (as all Italian feasts should), and dove right in to some apps. Duck Fat Olives was the first of several to be brought to the table. I am not an olive fan whatsoever, and found these to be absolutely delicious. Lesson learned: even one of my most hated foods can be thrown in duck fat and all is right with the world. Noted. Next up and worth mentioning, Pork Cheek Terrine and Oysters. I enjoyed the Pork Terrine but due to my being deathly allergic to Oysters, unfortunately wasn't able to partake- and missed out on my partner's favorite app of the night. We then experienced the Raw Winter Vegetables, accompanied by green apple, blue cheese, white balsamic. One word: LOVE. So flavorful and fresh, an unexpectedly perfect way to kick off our meal.

The food kept coming and at this point we were already beginning to fill up; thank goodness I was able to take one for the team and keep going. Next up: Pizza. They were outstanding, perfectly cooked, and among my favorite of items we sampled. Porchetta, Kale Pesto, and Mozzarella was my favorite, but the Mushroom, Black Truffle, and Fontina was a close second. House made Gnocchi and Black Spaghetti were the pasta options, with the Spaghetti far exceeding the Gnocchi in flavor. Two sides that both stood out were the Brussels Sprouts and the Roasted Potatoes. The Brussels have officially taken the award as my favorite in Nashville. Whew, ya'll, this is a big deal. Paired with pancetta and apple sweet and sour sauce, they were simply divine.

Finally, we ended the night with a couple of desserts. I love love love anything lemon and to my delight we were served a Meyer Lemon Budino: A creamy custard with the perfect balance of sweet and sour. As one who believes there aren't a ton of great dessert options in Nashville, it was a breath of fresh air to add a new one to my list of musts. That said, you don't want to miss this one.

All-in-all a wonderful experience. Congrats to the folks at M Street for bringing another winner to Nashville-Moto is helping fill the void that is the lack of quality Italian places in town, and filling it well. I very much look forward to our next visit!

Moto
1120 McGavock Street
Nashville, TN 37203
615-736-5305

Two Ten Jack, Nashville's first Japanese Pub, Opens Next Weekend

I have to admit, I'm incredibly intrigued by the 'Izakaya'/Japanese Pub concept. And, based off of the pictures I've seen of the space and the buzz surrounding the preview party, I'm pretty certain (and hopeful) Two Ten Jack is sure to be a hit. The menu will feature gourmet ramen (YES), yakitori (skewers & grilled items), sushi, and other Japanese-inspired pub comfort food with a Southern twist. Prices range from $4 to $21. Um, yes please.

Word on the street is that next weekend, January 24th and 25th, will be the restaurant's grand opening. Festivities will include a five-course meal with drink pairings, and will feature a ramen course prepared in part by 'world renowned' ramen Chef Shigetoshi Nakamura of Sun Noodle Ramen Lab. All alcohol, taxes, and gratuity included for 65 bucks. Not too shabby.

After next weekend, the restaurant will be open daily for dinner at 5:00, reservations taken for parties of six or more.

Tickets and more info for the grand opening can be found here, and, you can enter to win two tickets to the event here. You're welcome.

Two Ten Jack
1900 Eastland Avenue
Nashville, TN 37206