Thistle Stop Gives Hope; Sardinia Enoteca; More

Carrington Fox sees a powerful story being told at new Charlotte Pike casual eatery Thistle Stop Cafe. An extension of the Magdalene and Thistle Farms outreach programs that assist "women who have survived prostitution, trafficking and addiction," the space itself is a "gorgeous" community effort, from the repurpos[ing] of the donated china into rustically precious chandeliers," to "the 150-year-old wood plank flooring salvaged from the tobacco barn of Al Gore Sr." As for the food, Fox goes on to say:

With so much goodwill on the menu, Thistle Stop could easily rest on its social-enterprise laurels and offer a bare-bones repertoire of snacks -- like so many corporate coffee chains. But that's not the case here.

The list of sandwiches, wraps, salads and desserts advances the local food story with an array of vegan and raw items that will be new to many palates.[Nashville Scene]

Nancy Vienneau is very impressed by both the food and service at Sardinia Enoteca. Describing the space as "big and modern and posh," owners Pietro Vardeu and Antonio Gallo "have patterned it after their popular South Beach establishment" of the same name. Menu highlights include "[c]rostini topped with ripples of prosciutto and a pool of pesto-laced burrata, creamy and indulgent," as well as "[p]erfectly seared diver's scallops wrapped in guanciale (Italian pork jowl bacon) bathed in a fragrant saffron broth." [The Tennessean]

Local food blogger Lesley Eats recaps her brunch experience at Husk Nashville. She gives the food ("Everything was cooked perfectly and tasted fantastic"), service ("Everything was perfectly timed") and dining space ("awesome") high marks. [Lesley Eats]

[Photo via Facebook]