Comments on: Allium

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 18:32:59 +0000

My husband and I dined at Allium about a month ago. Fantastic service – professional and attended to us well. We had the goat cheese and red onion tart as a starter. Absolutely fabulous. Both had the house salad – one with the house dressing which was great. My hubby ordered the Catch of the Day – Tilapia and it was delish. I had the Raspberry Pork Loin. We got sat right after a table of 8 and my pork came out WAY over cooked. The potatoes and spinach it was served with were great though. I didn’t even need to say anything to our server about the pork. She noticed that I had pushed it to the side. (it really was un-eatable) They handled it so well – manager came to check on us, took the pork loin off of the bill and gave us a free peanut butter cheesecake dessert – also wonderful. We will go back!

By: jenn

jenn — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 01:31:37 +0000

The first time I went to Allium (maybe in August), I liked it. I had the baked scallop dish as my main, but yes, the star was the tart appetizer (the details allude me now).

Unfortunately, the second time I went (during fall restaurant week) my creme brulee was basically completely uncooked, and that was enough to prevent me from ever going back.

By: Lesley

Lesley — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 21:41:48 +0000

I liked Allium, too, but I went for brunch. A large part of what I liked was the outstanding service--our server was so accommodating that it made a good meal great.

But I hear ya--I'm the one person in town that isn't head over heels in love with City House based on one very bad visit. I've since been back and had a better experience.

Lesley
lesleyeats.blogspot.com

By: Heather

Heather — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 18:55:36 +0000

Lannae,
Thanks very much for your comment; it means a lot because we really respect your point of view. You had some good points to make about Allium, and we hope that our readers will take both your comment and our post into consideration when thinking about eating there.

By: Lannae

Lannae — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 16:31:28 +0000

Hey Nahville Foodies, I too think that the space, parking, and service at Allium is really good. Every time I have been to Allium a few times now, and the service has been consistent, professional, and appropriate. The staff has made every dining experience an experience and I would put the service up close to 11 Madison Park. We like the wine list, and like all French wines and 1/2 of them are very reasonably priced by the glass. I also like the fresh white table cloths. Where do you get that in Nashville? Capitol Grille, and Allium. The crisp white cloths are a nice detail.

The fries were probably not cooked in old oil, they are duck fat fried. The duck fat gave the fries a texture and quality more of a lard fried potato stick rather than a veg oil. Think back to the 1970s when fries were lard fried, they had a different texture and flavor. I like lard cooked chips and fries, and the duck fat is the ultimate for me. I don't know of any other Nashville restaurant which uses duck fat to cook fries.

And, I got to agree with you, the entrees doesn't seem to have the same finesse (as Germantown), or some of the other "top" considered kitchens in town. But, the price point of entrees with a side salad is mostly less than $20.10, so it is better to not go during restaurant week. I am really not a dessert person, so many times dessert is a burden for me to eat, so dessert is a loss for me at restaurant week. We have tried at least 5 different entree and 4 starters on various visits. Half of the entree plates had some sort of error, admitted by the staff and served to us anyway. In my opinion, most of the entrees were fair to good, but none of the entrees were *wow-za yow-za* for me, compelling me to think back on them from time to time. 11 Madison Park, Nobu, Bricco Boston, and locally City House, F Scotts and Capitol Grille, all have at least one dish I have tried, I cannot make at home, that I think about from time to time, and the memory makes me want to go back.

The side salad, is virtually the same at Germantown and Allium. I agree with you, it is nothing special at all. As personal taste go, I just want a plate of lettuce and light or no dressing, and Allium can deliver that to me. I do appreciate both G and A usually toss the lettuce in the kitchen, not just pouring gloppy dressing over the top drowning lettuce (personal pet peeve of mine).

OH, so one of your longest comments here, I have to say, I really like the space, the view, good solid service, the wine list, the urban feel and the Americanized French onion soup (glops of melted cheese, yum for me!), the minimalist salads, service and crisp white table cloths. The entree price point is low enough that I have over looked the errors. For me, because the entree prices are just low enough, and the non-food experience is good, I will keep going back to feel like I am dining in a New York neighborhood restaurant, but at a Nashville price.

By: yazzwho

yazzwho — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:57:56 +0000

If your dining experience is not going as planned you have the right to send your food back. In fact, that simple option enables you to say you actually ate there twice – in the same day. Then I could understand your negative review.

You also have the right to complain to the management of the place: they have one of the best websites in the Nashville indy food circles.

By: Heather

Heather — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 01:43:12 +0000

Yazzwho,
As our byline says, we're amateurs, not professional food critics. We don't have the time or money to visit places multiple times, so first impressions are everything, just as they are for the majority of people out there who not only want to eat well but also want to spend their money well. We try to represent those interests.

By: Joltin' Django

Joltin' Django — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 19:44:12 +0000

I hate to hear that. Allium's been on my go-to short list for a while.

http://nashville-eats.blogspot.com

By: yazzwho

yazzwho — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 15:07:16 +0000

You also ought to, if you are supportive to the restaurant community, to *not* bag a joint on your first trip there. That is the very reason that media outlets like the Scene take so damn long to cover a place new or old. They go more than once – more like 3 times at least, before damning them with a bad review. So go easy on them.

Another thought is how many times I have read excoriating reviews during Restaurant week. If you think for a minute that these establishments are going to take it in the pocketbook by not cutting a couple of corners you are dreamin' Paper thin margins and a recession to remember will get you counting individual asparagus stalks per plate, if it saves you a few bux.