Tucked away in a neighborhood outside of Nashville is a little Italian restaurant called Caffe Nonna. Parking could be problematic since they only have a few spots in front. Be prepared to look for some street parking.
I went for lunch and luckily I got there early enough that I did not have to wait for a table. They are small inside so there could be a wait on the weekends.
To start, I shared an appetizer of Mediterranean cheese sticks. These intrigued me because they were not typical fried cheese sticks that you would find at a bar. These were feta and pesto wrapped in phyllo dough and served with tomatoes, olives, capers, and lots of garlic. The dough added crunch but all the flavor came from the saltiness of the feta and the herby flavor from the pesto. I am glad I shared them because they were filling.
I love soups so I had to try theirs. I got a small cup of their homemade white bean soup. It had Swiss chard, pesto, and parmesan cheese in it. The Swiss chard was the flavor that I thought popped out in the soup and it paired nicely with the creaminess of the beans.
Although I was getting full I ended up ordering their chicken salad sandwich. They use huge chunks of fresh chicken mixed with grapes and walnuts and just a hint of fresh basil. The walnuts added a nice crunch to each bite while the grapes contributed the perfect amount of sweetness to the salad. It came on a big hoagie roll but this salad could have easily been enjoyed without the bread.
If you are in the neighborhood check out Caffe Nonna at: http://www.caffenonna.com/
Enjoy!
T
