Nashville Noshing: Cabana Restaurant

As much as I would love to live on sugar, sometimes a girl just needs 'real' food - and after a sugary breakfast at the Pancake Pantry and an even sweeter 'lunch' at Gigi's Cupcakes (and perhaps a couple of Matt's sinfully delicious double chocolate chip cookies!), the girls and I were pretty enthusiastic about dinner. Victoria put her Nashville knowledge to work and chose a venue just down the street from our morning's pancake indulgence; serving 'Casual Southern Comfort Cuisine,' Cabana Restaurant in Hillsboro Village was a great choice (unfortunately, I didn't bring my camera so all photos are courtesy of the Cabana website).

The place has great ambiance, with a covered, romantically-lit patio out front and another large, enclosed patio, complete with its own atmospheric bar, in the back. The interior is lined with private cabanas, each separated by gauzy curtains, and with soft lighting and individual entertainment/audio systems. Since the restaurant was quite busy and our group was small, we were seated in the back patio where the vibe was slightly less romantic and a bit livelier.

For the second time that day, we were blessed with a very attentive waiter (can you tell I'm not used to eating out with girls?) who tried to make conversation above the noise, kept our water glasses full (essential on such a hot night), and gave us recommendations when we were daunted by their extensive menu. Their offerings include various 'Small Plates,' which can serve as appetizers or a tapas-style meal, salads, pizzas, sandwiches, 'Large Plates,' or entrees, and sweets.

Cajun Crawfish Pot Pie

A few of the small plates sounded very tempting (how about some Lobster Brie "Mac & Cheese," or perhaps a Cajun Crawfish Pot Pie, or Lump Crab Hushpuppies?) but our sugary morning had us craving something more substantial. Instead, Victoria ordered the Black Angus Burger, Christi opted for BBQ Beef Brisket and Sara Beth and I took our smiling waiter's recommendation and ordered the Tennessee Sweet Potato-Ricotta Ravioli. Christi, Sara and I completed our meal with a refreshingly fruity glass of chilled sangria, and Victoria sipped a pale-colored 'Sweetini.'

The ravioli was excellent - the sweet potato filling a perfect contrast to the salty prosciutto and bitter mustard greens with which it was paired, and all of it covered with a savory sprinkle of pecans and a buttery sorghum sage sauce. Sara Beth and I had no trouble cleaning our plates, and Victoria and Christi also enjoyed their entrees, with special mention going to the side of house-made potato chips that arrived with Christi's BBQ beef.

TN Sweet Potato-Ricotta Ravioli (with prosciutto, pecans, mustard greens and sorghum sage butter)

After a day's indulgence, we decided to forgo dessert, but we still had a sweet finish to our evening when our waiter brought a complimentary shot of tequila (complete with a cinnamon-dusted orange slice) for Sara, our bride-to-be, and a piece of birthday cheesecake, big enough for all of us to share, for Christi!

We ate, celebrated, socialized and just generally enjoyed ourselves at Cabana that night, and the great food was just one part of our enjoyable evening - throw in a fun vibe and great service, and it's a place I can whole-heartedly recommend. The food and drinks are reasonably priced, but visiting during Happy Hour (4pm-7pm nightly), Girl's Night Out (Wednesdays), or during 2-for-1 Beer and Pizza nights (Sunday, Monday and Tuesday) makes it an even better deal. The atmosphere is young and casual, but nice enough for a special night out - particularly if you reserve a private cabana!