Sambuca (Nashville)

This meal is what I have been referring to as the best lunch ever. I don’t know why it has taken me so long to visit Sambuca, located in the Gulch at 601 12th Avenue South. A group of my girlfriends and I met there for lunch recently and I was happy to see the half sandwich, soup, and salad on the menu. I want to try one of everything when I go to a new restaurant and this was a great way to get to taste three items. Jackpot!

So, how’s it taste?

Look at that trio of mouthwatering food on my plate! I could barely wait long enough to take a picture before I dug in. Let’s start with the salad. It’s field greens with Gorgonzola dressing with caramelized walnuts. I have long been a fan of any type of blue cheese and walnuts, so this was right up my alley. The salad was lightly dressed, yet had generous amounts of cheese and nuts, which I loved. Every bite had contrasting textures with a crunch from the nuts and creaminess from the cheese. I chose the chicken salad for my sandwich. Chunks of chicken with (more!) walnuts, dried cherries, and pears on wheat bread. I’m a sucker for any chicken salad with fruit and nuts. This one had a lot of flavor and wasn’t too heavy on the mayo. Last on my plate was the shrimp and crab bisque. You so much as mumble the word “bisque” to me and I’m all over it. This soup was perfectly smooth with small bites of shrimp and crab. Now you see why I call this trio the best lunch ever. I can’t wait to go back and eat it again!