Kate O.'s Profile

I'm biased, of course, because I live in Germantown, but this is truly my favorite coffee shop in town. And it's not exactly a coffee shop: it's an espresso and tea shop. Order a coffee and you'll get an Americano, which is espresso with water added to it. The difference is subtle, and some people may walk away not impressed with the "coffee" but perhaps not realizing what they're drinking. But fans of espresso drinks will rejoice.

So I love this place partly because I love the espresso itself (they have Batdorf and Bronson beans for sale, as well), partly because Kat Roos went all Manhattan-looks-to-Europe-sophisticated on the interior, and partly because of the menu beyond espresso drinks: the teas are wonderful, the iced Firepot rooibos chai is the best in town, the panini sandwiches are a nice variation on the $5 lunch options in town, the gelato makes a lovely summer offering, and Kat's special pastries make rare but highly anticipated appearances for sale over the counter.

And there's all the extra little details: the eco-friendly take-away cups and cork insulator sleeves; the agave nectar in addition to honey for sweetening your drink; the high-style furnishings; the view of downtown from the picture windows, and so on.

After years of neighbors talking about wanting a coffee shop in Germantown, this is not what I was expecting. It's better.

Woodlands is one of only two fully vegetarian restaurants in Nashville (the other being Grins at Vanderbilt), at least as I write this, so you would think that, as a committed vegan, I'd be there a lot. But from a vegan perspective, Woodlands isn't actually any easier than any other Indian restaurant: you still have to ask which items use ghee (clarified butter) in preparation, and you have to hope that the waiter knows or is willing to ask the kitchen staff.

That said, the food is tasty, and some of the less-common menu items are worth exploring. The staff is friendly and accommodating, and the portions are generous enough for leftovers.

The food is delicious, the atmosphere is sophisticated but relaxed, and the view of downtown is unparalleled. We love the staff here; they go out of their way to be accommodating when we ask for vegan modifications to menu items, and they'll often put together a custom-made vegan pasta dish for us. We're regulars here, and we hope to be for years.

We weren't all that impressed with our first experience here; while the place is gorgeous in an urban rustic way, the food seemed a little too salty and not worth the money. But since we live in the neighborhood, we ended up going back for another try, and I'm glad we did: it has quickly become one of our favorite places.

Believe it or not, for a restaurant that's all about cured meats, the kitchen is actually vegan-friendly. My husband and I are both vegan, and we've gotten comfortable just showing up and asking the waiter to bring us something vegan -- what arrives is always fantastic.

The bar is deserving of a great rating all on its own. Word is that when Robert Plant was living in the neighborhood while working with Alison Krauss, he was sometimes seen at this bar. It's a bit cramped and they don't have every imaginable drink, but they specialize in a menu of stylish cocktails. Of course, having tried several, I haven't found any that I love. Still, it's fun to experiment, and if you're not in the mood for cocktails, they have a great wine list. And while the bar menu, with inventive hors d'oeuvres, is considerably less suitable for vegans than the dinner menu, we've heard from friends that it's nearly as good.

All in all, while there may be a dish or two on the menu that won't please your palate for whatever reason, the overall experience is so good and the food in general so incredible it's definitely worth trying again.