Germantown Cafe

Show me another pleasure like dinner which comes every day and lasts an hour.
- Charles Maurice de Talleyrand

For Nashville Restaurant Week, we elected to head to Germantown Cafe since they were offering most of their full menu, as opposed to several places that had more limited options. The $20.08 prix fixe menu included choice of soup or salad, entree, and dessert. I adore Germantown Cafe and have been dozens of times - my husband had never been, so I was curious to see if he'd love it as much as I do.

We had a reservation, and although we arrived early due to an overzealous (read: insane) cab driver, we were seated immediately. We opted to start with the squash fritters while we enjoyed a drink and perused the menu (at least, I pretended to peruse - I knew what I was ordering before I ever arrived). The fritters were served with buttermilk cream, and were approximately the size and appearance of hush puppies. The crispy breading was not greasy at all, but crunchy and gave way easily to a tender center of sweet creamy squash. The sauce was tangy and rich, but light enough to keep the dish from being too overbearing and filling.

We both had the garden salad with blue cheese vinaigrette, and while the greens were crisp and fresh, there was too much blue cheese for both of our tastes. However, knowing there would still be an entree and dessert to come, I didn't mind letting half of my salad go uneaten.

For our entrees, we both went with fish dishes. My husband ordered herb-crusted tilapia served on top of sweet potato risotto, drizzled with a light caper-citrus-brown butter and paired with asparagus. I had my standby, coconut curry salmon with creamy risotto, sauteed spinach and asparagus. In both instances, the fish was cooked perfectly, pan seared crisp and tender inside. The sauces complemented each cut of fish by allowing the flavors to complement the fish instead of masking it or overpowering it. The spinach and asparagus were also delicious, and the portion sizes were just right. Germantown's risotto is always perfect, and this was no exception. No matter how many times I try, I just can't get mine quite like theirs - creamy, tender but not mushy, and perfectly seasoned every time.


Once our dinner plates had been cleared and the option of dessert came around, I was practically twitching with excitement. The key lime pie at Germantown is the best I've ever tasted, and once I knew it was available, I jumped on it immediately - leaving my husband staring at me with eyebrows raised and a hint of a humored smile. He ordered the apple dessert with vanilla ice cream, which was decadent and comforting, albeit a bit too heavy following the meal we'd just had. The key lime pie, on the other hand, is light and fresh, creamy and sweet with the perfect touch of tangy lime.

The only time I haven't been to Germantown Cafe is for brunch - soon to change, because my husband loved it as much as I do. We'll definitely be back.