Nashville has quite the food scene! This city has changed so much over the years and has just about anything for any palate.
Tonight we chose to visit The Optimist.
Kat decided on the ‘Washed Ashore’ cocktail was refreshing and not overly sweet. Bob had lager and a blonde ale, local craft beers.
Kat didn’t eat the bread (gluten issues), but Bob said it was warm, fresh and flavored well. (He ate both rolls – no wonder he filled up!)
Our appetizer choice was the Grilled Octopus that came with a mixture of GRILLED OCTOPUS, eggplant, white beans, and pomegranate molasses. There was a hint of spice but not overpowering. The char on the octopus was …..omg! We have to say that is was some of the best octopus that We’ve ever had!
Our main dish choice was called The Refuge – 12 oysters, 12 shrimp, ceviche, smoked fish dip, tuna poke, half of a lobster. What is there to say? The shrimp are hard to describe. They weren’t New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp, but close. The sauce was thick and not spicy but very flavorful. The dipping sauces were very good. We have to say that the poké was not as good as some we’ve had. It was spicy but we didn’t find the flavor choice desirable.
Our server, Zech, was attentive and took care in explaining the menu and making sure our drinks and food were served in a timely manner. Then, a nice touch for the restaurant, he brought us a postcard and said that if we filled it out then, he would mail it.
So, of course, Kat filled it out for her New Orleans born mother, who lives in another state and she’s not seen her because of Covid. She told her mom that we thought of her because of all the seafood.
We will return and next time try the whole roasted flounder with pecan meuniére. Oh, and the grilled octopus, again.
~BobKat
