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The Catbird Seat - Nashville

Well, dinner last week at The Catbird Seat was super. A fantastic tour through two of their tasting menus with two different beverage pairings. The team there does a really wonderful job. Arriving at 6:30, we were there for nearly 3 and half hours. Diners’ arrivals are staggered throughout the night to avoid a crush, and of the places at the counter, about 6 had a second seating (although at no time were all 32 counter seats occupied); both corner banquettes had groups of 6 diners each for the evening. After dinner, you’re presented with a take-home listing of all the courses.

A great meal, a great experience, and - despite what may be a difficult-for-some-folks-to-embrace $100 price tag per person for the food - a great value. This is a big-city ambitious and impressive food experience going on here, at significantly less than a big-city price. The non-alcohol and reserve alcohol pairings at $20 and $75, respectively, were good values, too.

While the chefs typically get all the glory in our Iron Chef culture these days, Jane Lopes deserves a special call-out. She crafts incredibly innovative beverage pairings. Part sommelier, part mixologist, and part alchemist, her choices and blendings were really special and enjoyable, and included some very interesting selections. I’ve not experienced anything like she’s doing anywhere else.

Highly recommended. And looking for an opportunity to go back again!

Note: They change out 2-3 items each week to keep the menu constantly evolving and reflecting the best ingredients. So you probably shouldn’t expect the same exact courses. Our favorites this night: the Tartar of Beef, the Halibut, and the Kale Soup.

=> Standard menu with reserve alcohol beverage pairing ($100 + $75). A different pour with each course.

Amuse: SAVORY OREO made with a porcini cookie and parmesan crème filling

1. TRIO of a Chatham OYSTER on the half shell with cucumber and yuzu vinaigrette, CORNBREAD ball with bacon, and a special riff on HOT CHICKEN with spices and dill on a wonder bread crisp
- Beverage: dry Riesling with sake and maple syrup, carbonated and served with a lime

2. TARTAR OF BEEF with juniper, horseradish, burned bread, smoked roe, and rosemary
- Beverage: Marc Hebrart brut rosé (France) with quince vinegar and honey

3. RAMP VICHYSSOISE made with pickled habanero vinegar, with pork belly, micro carrot, watercress, and violet flower
- Beverage: 2008 Trimbach Gewurztraminer (Alsace, France)

4. HALIBUT with fava beans, sorrel, and black garlic and lemon pudding drops
- Beverage: 2008 Cave Caloz Heida (Switzerland)

5. PIGEON with white asparagus, shaved porcini, pigeon liver mousse, lovage, and charred green asparagus jus
- Beverage: 2008 Muhr-van der Niepoort “Carnuntum” (Austria)

6. LAMB with onion milk, toasted curry oil, charred peaches, and morels
- Beverage: 2007 Doamine J. Despesse Cornas (Rhone Valley, France)

7. Hay-infused caramelized YOGURT with strawberries, toasted wild rice, and chamomile jelly
- Beverage: Tripel Karmeliet beer (Belgium)

8. CUSTARD with maple syrup and a bacon crisp served in an egg shell
- Beverage: gin cordial with Marina Espumante (Spain)

9. Pineapple GELEE, vanilla CAKE, oak ICE CREAM with an opal basil leaf, cherry crisp and bourbon balls
- Beverage: 2001 Hetszolo Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos (Hungary), in a Black Maple Hill bourbon rinsed glass

Mignardise: OREO made with a coffee cookie and crème

=> No meat, no dairy menu with non-alcohol beverage pairing ($100 + $20). A different pour with about every other course.

Amuse: SAVORY OREO made with a green apple gelee cookie and tofu with olive oil crème filling

1. TRIO of a Chatham OYSTER on the half shell with cucumber and yuzu vinaigrette, hot water CORNBREAD ball with honey, and a HOT POTATO with spices and dill on a wonder bread crisp

2. Minced MUSHROOMS and TOFU with sliced truffle, juniper, burned bread, smoked roe, and rosemary

3. KALE SOUP made with coconut milk and pickled habanero vinegar, with grilled oyster mushrooms, pickled micro carrot, watercress, and violet flower

4. HALIBUT with fava beans, sorrel, and black garlic and lemon pudding drops

5. Caramelized SEITAN with white asparagus, shaved porcini, lovage, and charred green asparagus jus

6. COD with toasted curry oil, charred peaches, and morels

7. Hay-infused caramelized YOGURT with strawberries, toasted wild rice, and chamomile jelly

8. Soymilk CUSTARD with maple syrup and a carrot crisp served in an egg shell

9. Pineapple GELEE, vanilla CAKE, cherry SORBET with an opal basil leaf, cherry crisp and bourbon balls

Mignardise: Peanut butter NOUGAT

NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINKS. Sorry for the lack of detail on these, but they weren’t documented on the take-home listings.

• Bitter lemon with maple syrup
• Lavender infused juice
• Cherry and clove infused juice
• Fizzy bitter lemon cordial

on May 28, 2012

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