A Taste of Nashville - Margot

1. Neighborhood: East Nashville at Five Points

2. History: 

Margot Cafe & Bar opened in June of 2001 by Chef Margot McCormack. It offers rustic French and Italian cuisine with an emphasis on the regions of Provence and Tuscany.

"Margot's philosophy on food and cooking is rooted in the cultures of southern France and Italy. It is based on seasonality and the very best ingredients. Margot is not looking to reinvent food but to reintroduce it in a personal and uncomplicated way" 

-Voted Best New Restaurant 2001 by Nashville Scene

-Voted Best Restaurant, Best Chef and Best Brunch by Best of Nashville 2005-2009

(information from website: www.margotcafe.com) 

3. Hours: 

Tuesday - Saturday: 6:00 - 10:00 pm (bar opens at 5pm)

Sunday Brunch: 11am - 2pm

Monday: Closed

4. Price:  

-dish to share: $3-12 (cheese plate, bread, chips, etc.) 

-first course: $6-12

-second course: $16-26

5. Parking: Parking was ok. They do have a TINY lot in front of the restaurant and free street parking on Woodland and Clearview. But if you are going on a weekend you may have to pay $3 for parking in a lot. 

6. Atmosphere: Atmosphere is perfect for a neighborhood gem. It is upscale but eclectic with individual vintage bread plates and everything. There were multiple dining areas. Including a small room upstairs. 

Source: Margotcafe.com

Source: Margotcafe.com

7. Service: The service was fine. You could tell they were well trained. But nothing really noteworthy.

8. Menu: The food was really well prepared. Chef is classically trained, updating her menu daily according to in-season, local ingredients. The food was the best part of the restaurant experience.

Sorry, the lighting was almost impossible for picture taking. Especially with my phone. 

Housemade Potato Chips with Aioli 

Fish Chowder with Bacon and Croutons 

Sopressata with Olive Relish, Arugula and Parmesan

We also tried:

-Pan Roasted Skate - potato cakes, spinach and caper brown butter

-Grilled Hanger Steak - Roasted Cauliflower and potatoes with Gorgonzola

-Bread crumb gnocchi with mushrooms walnuts and cream

All delicious!

*Well best part was our dinner guests :) Two of our team members from our Christmas Africa trip treated us to this amazing meal!

9. Ranking: 8 - We loved the food, loved our company and the atmosphere was great for a nice date night. It is not somewhere that I would go eat at often but it was worth our visit!

Thank you Gail and Randy for a wonderful meal and for helping us cross another restaurant off our list. 

We love you guys!

And we topped the night off at Jeni's Ice Cream....mmm

Leaving hibernation

The most recent season of my life has been really hard.

Major emotional ups and downs. 

There has been a lot of heaviness at work and in my personal life.

Not to mention, Winter is just plain gloomy - cold and windy.

We didn't even get one great snow day... 

My Winter was spent bundled up, doing puzzles and going to sleep early. 

I've just had no energy or motivation.  

Well it was time to snap out of it.

I had to embrace the fact that I am not in control of everything. 

There are many places in my life where fear can take over. 

I learned that fear can either lead to anxiety or it can be embraced.

When the Spirit moves through that place of fear, faith is a gift that is received.

Faith increases when you step out in fear. 

It was time to create.

I always feel the most life when I participate in the creation of things. 

I hadn't done anything crafty in such a long time. 

So I decided to do some crocheting and embroidering. 

My first crocheted baby blanket!

Crocheted cowl scarf

There was also a quilt that I had not finished. I have been working on it for years.

I decided to tackle that project too. 

However, I had no desire to quilt. 

So I finished the top and decided to make a duvet cover, eliminating the need to quilt it. 

A few snaps later and viola!

I have also really loved hanging out with the special little ones in my life. 

Our godson Mihretu is so much fun to be with.

I went to his house to help make Valentine's Day cards. 

Aren't they cute?

We had one weekend of nice weather so we took our nephew to Shelby Park.

On an almost warm day we took another hike through the park. 

I am so looking forward to walks when it warms up.

And now it is time to begin the garden. 

Oh Spring...less than two weeks away and Daylight Savings starts on Sunday. 

That means more sunlight and warmer weather on the horizon. 

Feeling like I am turning a corner away from the Winter gloom. 

Can not wait!

A Taste of Nashville - Etch

#2 Etch

1. Neighborhood: Downtown - Demonbreun and 3rd

(Ground floor of the Encore Building)

2. History: Another recently opened restaurant, Etch is run by Chef Deb Paquette. They offer bar seating, dining room and an open kitchen with bar seating as well. 

(information from website: www.etchrestaurant.com)

The Encore tower is right across the street from the Pinnacle building.

3. Hours: 

Monday - Friday : Lunch 11 - 2, Dinner 5 - 10 (bar opens at 4)

*Happy hour is 4 - 6:30

Saturday - just dinner

Sunday - closed, brunch coming soon!

4. Price:  $$$ = $15 - $35

5. Parking: Parking is a pain downtown. We ended up paying $5 at a lot and walked a block.

6. Atmosphere: Because Etch is located in the business district, the customers were professional and older. Pretty modern but not hip like most trendy Nashville restaurants. 

Photo credit: nashvilleguru.com

Bar at Etch
Photo credit: thedailymeal.net

7. Service: This one is hard to review because we stayed in the bar area, we were at a small table near the bar. We did not have traditional servers. But I felt like the bartender was not very professional. She always came to our table at weird times and carried herself pompously like we were bothering her.

8. Menu:

Another tricky category to give an honest answer. Michael and I just wanted appetizers and a drink so we did not dine at Etch. Their dinner menu looks tasty, including: 

However, we found the Happy Hour menu to be really delicious. Here is what we enjoyed:

Pork Belly - We really liked the combination of cilantro, raisins and nuts but didn't care for the tofu.

Duck Confit - Delicious with the candied orange peel and orange bread. I loved the balsamic blackberries.

Butter Tasting - So good. This is on the dinner menu and it was the first thing Michael saw when we were browsing restaurants in Nashville. We had to keep ordering bread to finish it because we didn't want it to go to waste. It is like getting a cheese plate for dessert. Goat butter, truffle butter, smoked plugra butter, duck butter...mmmm.

10. Ranking: Based solely on atmosphere and our Happy Hour experience, we would give it a 6.5 .

The food was good, but we weren't blown away and the service was mediocre. We feel like we need to have a true dining experience to really say whether or not we would go back. 

A Taste of Nashville - Silo

Due to popular demand, Michael and I are going to start adding blog posts about the restaurants in Nashville we have tried. We created a list of 60 and have already visited many of them. And we will definitely be adding to our list!

We will share: 

1. The Neighborhood

2. History

3. Hours

4. Price: 

         $ = $5-$10

         $$ = $10 -$25

         $$$ = $15 - $35

         $$$$ = $20 - $45

5. Parking... I like to know what to expect :)

6. Atmosphere

7. Service

8. Menu

9. Extra info - 'Must Order'

10. Ranking 1-10

Many people have asked me for a copy of the list. So here you go. 

*Note: #40. Fish and Co. is no longer open. We will replace that restaurant with a new one. 

#1. Silo

Neighborhood: Germantown

History: Recently opened, Silo claims to be elevated southern cuisine, a 'farm to fork' restaurant. The Executive Chef, Clay Greenberg, changes the menu daily to take advantage of seasonal produce from local Tennessee farms. Paul Cercone, collaborator and Artisan Baker, explains the name of the restaurant by saying, "Silos speak to things worth saving, like the Southern traditions of working hard, having fun and enjoying what you've grown or raised around a shared table."

(info from website: www.silotn.com)

Hours: Tuesday - Saturday at 5pm, Sunday brunch at 10:30, Closed Monday

Price: $$

              -Appetizers: $5-$12

              -Entrees: $14-$28

Parking: Street parking in the Germantown neighborhood. It was free but we had to walk a few blocks.

Atmosphere: Cool and contemporary with southern flair. Cedar board paneling on the wall. Water poured from Bullet Rye whiskey bottles. Servers wore jeans and plaid shirts. 

Service: The service was awesome. A lot of Nashville restaurants have really solid food or hip atmosphere but they usually lack on service. Our server was professional. You could tell he has been in the business for a long time. He was on the mark. We were so impressed by the server, the first thing we did when we got home was write a review on Open Table raving about the service. 

Menu: Simple, upscale southern. Flavors were on point. 

The menu the night we ate at Silo. It changes daily, so there is always something new to try out.

I keep forgetting to take a picture of my food before I eat it... But this is tasty Falls Mill grits topped with an onion jam. DELICIOUS! Silo has side dishes which are huge portions to share with the table. So we ordered grits to share.

Best appetizer hands down. These are crawfish beignets, like a savory donut. It was served with a delicious remoulade, sort of like a fancy tartar sauce.

I ordered Black Grouper which was set with parsnips, bacon, orange and jalapeño salad. It was fresh and yummy. This, again, is photographed after I had taken a few bites. The portion sizes were really generous.

Not pictured: Hanger Steak, confit fingerling potatoes, caramelized onions, Asher blue cheese sauce

Must Order: 

-Appetizers: Crawfish Beignet

-Side to share: Mac n' Cheese. Ok, we didn't actually order this because I was really craving grits but from all who have eaten at Silo - best Mac n' Cheese in Nashville!

Ranking: A solid 9.
We will definitely be going back.

A New Year, A Life Changed Pt. 2

Oh Kenya...my first time back to my home country where I spent the first 10 years of my life. 

Our journey to Kenya started off with a bang. 

The entrance of Fiwagoh Children's Home

We waited in Jinja for another Visiting Orphans team to arrive. They would continue in Uganda with our transportation and we would go on to Kenya with their transportation. 

What we thought would be a 1 pm departure ended up being a 7pm departure. 

What we thought would be a 6 hour drive ended up being a 16 hour drive. 

Our dinner consisted of snacks: goldfish, fruit snacks, and granola bars. Lots of miss communication and paperwork wars, long visa lines, hot stuffy bus, made the visa process over the border long and daunting.

No one really slept, it was dark and quite frankly scary. There were lots of police stops, speed bumps and pot holes. 

But despite this 'adventure' we didn't anticipate it was incredible to watch the team come together. Some people experienced anxiety, some needed a shoulder to sleep on, some of the men sat near the door for safety, some needed food, and others needed a good laugh. We supported each other through a very long night.

We rolled into Nakuru headed to Fiwagoh Children's Home. It was Saturday, their sabbath. We were gearing up for a 3 hour service, with no energy, totally exhausted. But we prayed that it would not be our strength but God's. That our emptiness would be a perfect vessel for God to make us full. It had to be God because we had nothing to offer. It was a great place for the team to be. And it was an incredible day.

Fiwagoh is a home for about 220 children. Children who love God, know scripture and have so much hope. We saw grade school kids giving testimonies. 5 year olds singing hymns, a 14 year old preaching with power. It was energizing and inspiring. We then grabbed some sugar cane and a child's hand and walked 3 miles by Lake Elementatia. It was beautiful and relational - an afternoon stroll with our new friends. The team did not get tired until 5 pm, supernatural strength! I was so proud of them.

We are pros, no big deal.
Photo credit: Teryll Sacks

Faith and Lucy gave a few of us a tour of their garden. They are working towards being totally self-sustaining. It was a massive garden - mangos, pineapple, avocado, passion fruit, sugar cane, peppers, onions, tomatoes, cabbage, corn, and beans - to name a few. Any leftover food they had they would share with the neighbors. Lucy proudly showed me her plot of land. She is currently growing beans and corn. The seniors get a little strip of land so they can learn to garden as well. It was so beautiful.

On our tour.
Photo credit: Carla Geiser

My sweet Lucy!

Bread making.
Photo credit: Carol Duarte

 Look at those baby rabbits!
Photo credit: Carol Durate

More fuzzy animals!

Sugar cane!
Photo credit: Taeilorae Levell

One of my highlights was spending time with Teresah, an 18 year old nurse-in-training. Chelsea, Taeilorae and I loved setting in the clinic learning all about her natural remedies. 

For example: A common cold

Cut up red onion and garlic. Add to honey. Let it sit for 30 minutes. Remove the onion and garlic. Take 1 tablespoon of the honey like a syrup every hour until symptoms are gone. 

She was such a great teacher and took the time to really make sure we understood what she was saying. We were taking notes and learning so many natural tricks. She is also studying to be a midwife. When I told her that I was interested in the childbirth field she got so happy. It was a really special time. 

Teresah in her clinic

Teresah and Abby
Photo credit: Abby Kraft

The team also experienced a holy moment. 

We witnessed 3 new boys being welcomed into the family.

Here is what Carol wrote, their new sponsor mom:

"Meet Ian, Peter & John 2. They came to the orphanage the day before we left. They are 8, 8 & 6 and have been living alone in the streets for 6 years!! YES you read that right! Since they were 2 and an infant!!!! Their skin is like a reptile from lack of water and they have worms from scavenging pig scraps. The pastor that runs this place "Dad" & Michael bathed them with love. I cannot thank them enough for their loving kindness! Please pray for their health! PS this is an all too common story!"

Many times we hear these type of stories but we never see it. And then we travel to Africa and we see the children but at Fiwagoh they are doing so well. When we actually saw and heard where these children come from first hand, it really impacted us. The team was very emotional. It was heart-wrenching to hear how these children were left as infants to fend for themselves. And yet it was so beautiful and sacred to see how they were welcomed into their family, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Weren't we all spiritually orphaned once? What a beautiful experience. 

Sweet Ian, Peter and John
Photo credit: Carol Duarte

We slept and ate at Fiwagoh. It became our home while we were in Kenya. I loved the routine. 

Every morning and every night we would worship with the children. They were a family that cared for each other. The seniors took care of the younger ones and they were all so respectful. We loved sharing a meal with them.

Sharing meals

So much joy!
Photo credit: Carol Duarte

Friendship bracelets.
Photo credit: Carol Duarte

Michael and I with his buddy Jonathan

Michael and Jonathan

Pastor Benson and his wife Florence

Nahashun - the amazing 15 year old preacher! 

Some of the senior boys. Incredible men!

*We also spent the day at Haven of Hope and Amazing Grace. We had some great memories there and learned about two different types of ministries in Kenya. But for sake of not writing a book, I am only going to talk about the place that stole my heart :)

On the last day, we left Nakuru and made our way to Nairobi to catch our night flight. 

We stopped at an overlook of the Rift Valley. I could see the town where I was born. It was really special to share that with Michael. 

We saw giraffes, baboons, and zebras. I hugged and kissed a giraffe :) Just had to keep up with my fuzzy animal theme. 

Sweet Lynn
Photo credit: Sarah Crawford 

One of the most moving moments of the whole trip for me, was when the team spent 5 hours going through each team member and sharing our love for them. We uplifted and exhorted each person. It was the most beautiful way to end the trip. My family just got 23 people bigger and my heart got 220+ children bigger. 

Tender moment with the team...lots of tears.

Michael and I were reflecting on the trip and recognized how impacting these trips are. They are a catalyst for change in someone's life. They move you to do greater things. They push you to love each other better, to think beyond yourself and your 'issues'. Experiencing the third world, the joy of children, poverty, hope, lack of western conveniences, no agenda... it will change you forever. 

So to my team - May God use this trips as a moment in your life that radically changes your heart for greater things. In the weeks to come, may you encounter a taste for your role in the change this world needs. You all are so dear to me. Thank you for making these 2 weeks a momentous occasion in my life. You will always have a friend in Nashville. Can't wait to see what is next....

Best team in the world!
Photo credit: Carol Duarte