Thursday, April 8, 2010

Stoney River

Posted by Heather / no comments » / $$$, american

First off: at Nashville Foodies we don’t usually post about chain restaurants, as we want to promote local food made by local people for local people. But Nashville being Nashville, we do have some restaurant corporations based here (J. Alexander’s comes to mind, as does O’Charley’s.) Do these count as official chains? Or is there some in-between territory?

The folks at Stoney River contacted us recently, inviting us to try out three new dishes on their menu. We didn’t really know much about the place, except for having noticed its shiny restaurant on West End. A little investigation showed us that it’s part of the O’Charley’s corporation but not like O’Charley’s in that it has just eleven members in its “collection of restaurants,” as its website says. The website goes on to say that “every Stoney River is a little bit unique. In personality and even in the local managing partner who will greet you at the door or at your table, remember your name, and make sure that every meal you enjoy here delivers on our promise of ‘steak, seafood, sanctuary’”.

We also know that from our experience in talking with friends and family, not everyone is comfortable with trying out the most unique restaurants. Often it’s a question of spending your hard-earned money on a meal you want to feel confident that will be to your liking. Sometimes people just don’t feel like taking a gamble. There are those for whom even just a regional chain is a big leap of faith from nationwide chains (truly!) So we visited Stoney River with an open mind, eager to find out what they offer, how they emphasize “local” whenever possible, and how Stoney River might be a great option for those not yet ready to jump into the local-est of the local scene.

True to its name, the ambience of Stoney River is woodsy but stylish. The interior of the Cool Springs location, which we visited, was cool and comfortable with lots of wood and leather, and we were greeted warmly upon arrival. Think Morton’s without the over-the-top showy element. We looked over the menu, which is full of standard steakhouse fare. The coffee-cured filet (in 7 and 10oz portions, $26.99 and $31.99 respectively) caught our eye, as did the tempura lobster tail appetizer ($15.99) and the pricing of the tableside dishes, portioned to serve two and ranging from $3.99 to $6.99.

While there were lots of good standard steak options, the folks at Stoney River were very excited about three new menu items, which we had the opportunity to try out. All three are not your normal steakhouse items, but were great all in their own right.

First we tried the tender herb roasted half chicken ($15.99). The chicken is baked with a rub of pancetta, rosemary, shallots, garlic, and lemon underneath its skin, and is served with chicken au jus, mashed potatoes, and gently sautéed green beans. This was Josh’s favorite dish of the three we tried. The skin was slightly chewy – just enough to give it some tooth. The chicken was amazingly tender and flavorful and pulled away from the bone very easily.

The next dish was a double cut thick pork chop ($19.99). As it was brought to the table I was immediately struck by the aroma, which was fantastic. The dish takes a full 36 hours to complete, as the pork chop is first brined in orange pekoe tea. It’s then based in a brown sugar and apple cider glaze, making it a kind of spin off of sweet and sour pork. The pork is accompanied by a small dish of three-cheese macaroni. The macaroni themselves are very hearty-sized spirals, flecked with crispy breadcrumbs. Finishing out the dish is very simple steamed broccoli, which we felt was just right considering what all was going on with the rest of the dish. It was difficult to choose, but I think the pork was my favorite.

Finally, we tasted the braised, boneless short ribs of beef ($19.99). This dish could stand up to the heartiest meat eater’s needs any day. The beef is braised in a red wine and house barbecue sauce and was very, very tender.  It came with tender crisp asparagus and mashed potatoes.

While Stoney River is excited for folks to know about their three new menu options, there were other elements of the meal we enjoyed very much. The dinner rolls are deep fried dough flecked with poppyseeds and were delicious. We also got to sample the triple-layer chocolate ganache cake. Josh’s heart was glad to read that it comes with chilled shot glasses of milk. We ended up taking a piece of cake home because we were so full from trying out the three main dishes, and it was a delicious treat.

During our meal we also had the opportunity to speak with Eric Leseur, the managing partner, and Richard Pigg, the executive chef. It’s clear that Eric takes personal pride in his restaurant. Richard talked to us about the personal role he takes in helping to develop menu items, so you know it’s not just corporate suits making the choices. The wait staff was also very pleasant and helpful, being very careful to answer all our questions thoroughly.

In all, we do believe that there is an in-between category, somewhere in the middle of pure chain and pure local, that’s worth looking into. Stoney River fits that category. We feel that it is a good place to get some great quality food at a surprisingly lower price. We’ll be adding it to our list of places to take friends and family who we want to start introducing to the more local scene but are not quite ready to make the jump.

Stoney River Cool Springs
1726 Galleria Boulevard
Franklin, TN 37067
Phone: 615-778-0230
Monday – Thursday: 5pm-9:30pm
Friday: 5pm – 10pm
Saturday: 4pm – 10pm
Sunday: 11:30am – 9pm

Stoney River Nashville
3015 West End Avenue
Nashville, TN 37203
Phone: 615-340-9550
Monday – Friday: 11am-3pm Lunch / 5pm-10pm Dinner
Saturday: 4pm – 10pm
Sunday: 11am – 3pm Lunch / 5pm – 9pm Dinner

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