Ellington’s recently announced a new, innovated menu and dining experience from newly appointed Executive Chef Christopher Ayala. They were kind enough to invite me out for a four-course tasting, complete with time with the Chef to learn about the dishes.
After a cocktail hour on the patio, we moved inside, ready to try Chef Ayala’s creations. We were surrounded by good vibes from the start with a table full of interesting foodies. Our first course with a flavorful one – and you might not guess that from the menu. The Chilled Asparagus salad has saffron aioli, caramelized yogurt, pickled cucumbers and almonds with an herb vinaigrette. The bright green asparagus were in their prime, adding a level of crispness to the first course.
Next up was the Sausage Raviolo Soup – stewed naval beans and a delicious herby broth. I’m not much of a soup girlie and the flavor in the broth blew me away. If all soups tasted that good, I’d be converted. For the third course, we were given a choice between four possibilities and I settled on the “Petite Fillet.” When the not-at-all-petite filet made its way to the table, I began to understand Chef’s tongue-in-cheek menu references. This meat was beautiful! I could tell even before I took a bite that it was perfectly cooked and tender. The filet sat atop some manchego potatoes (don’t miss out on these potatoes, seriously!) that I gobbled up in one bite. They paired my steak with a bold red wine that only enhanced its flavor.
Once we made our way to dessert, I was stuffed. The night ended with one last drink – this time, a cocktail. It was garnished with a piece of ginger candy and we jokingly called it “the yes.” Unfortunately, I was too full to finish this as I needed to save enough room for the last course, Watermelon Gazpacho. This portion is something I can’t describe to you. It’s a sable crouton with honey ice cream and crispy rice and its topped with a watermelon juice. This was, by far, the most unique and it was pretty unforgettable. Watch the video below to see it all come together.
Make your reservations for Ellington’s Nashville here – and don’t skip the potatoes!
@nashvillenoise Standouts were definitely the steak, manchego potatoes and watermelon gazpacho. #nashville #nashvillerestaurant #nashvillefood #nashvillenoise ♬ Late Night Paris Jazz – French Jazz Cafe
