New and Notable Nashville Restaurants

Nashville is emerging as a force to be reckoned with in the gourmet restaurant circles. Since the reconstruction of the old warehouse district affectionately called "The Gulch", new and notable restaurant have began to appear. Most are owned by experienced and well known Chefs from across the country, making Nashville the place to be for foodies this year.

Batter'd & Fried Boston Seafood House at 1008 Woodland St. in Nashville is up-scale pub that showcases all the best flavors of New England with clam chowder, raw oysters, fried seafood and Sam Adams on tap. Diners and barflies flock together among stucco walls and dark beamed ceilings at this cozy east Nashville eatery. Sports memorabilia and dual bars create a pub vibe, while servers in ties tend to well-dressed tables with old-fashioned poise.

The Sylvan Park Restaurant has opened a third location, on Nolensville Road in the Wal-Mart center near Old Hickory Boulevard. Sylvan Park, one of the best-loved meat-and-three restaurants in Nashville, is known for their desserts. The original location is on Murphy Road in Sylvan Park. Owner Eleanor Clay, opened a second location on Franklin Road a couple years ago and now has spun off a third, managed by Clay's son, Jim. The new Sylvan Park is at 5532 Nolensville Pike, 331-1944. Hours: 10:30 a.m.-8 p.m. Mon.-Fri.; 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Sun.

Past Perfect is owned by three restaurant veterans from Chicago; Matt Buttel and his partners, Shawn and Richard Courtney who wanted to start their own place and picked downtown Nashville as the next hot place to be. Situated among a number of large condo developments poised to open the hope is that Past Perfect will fit right into the neighborhood with what the owners described as ''simple and elegant food based on family recipes.''
Past Perfect is located at 122 Third Ave. S. 736-7727. Hours: 11 a.m.-1 a.m. Mon.-Sat.; 3 p.m.-1 a.m. Sun.; the bar stays open later.

The Capital Grille, located in Nashville's grandest of the grande hotel, The Hermitage, is saying farewell to it's Executive Sous Chef Sean Brock. Mums the word on the replacement but it looks good for the Chef De Cuisine Tyler Brown according to Manager Ray Minias.

At Caney Fork Fish Camp on 2400 Music Valley Drive in Nashville you get the feeling of the great outdoors. Except it's ...well... indoors. Complete with a waterfall, pond and bright red pick up truck, it's decor is early woodsman with a hint of country charm. Youll find all the regular campground flair like fried or grilled fresh catfish, blackened grouper and trout almandine. But fear not fish-phobic campers. There are plenty of other southern stand-bys available. Open all 7 days a week for lunch and dinner, its also a kid friendly environment with a all you can eat menu on Wednesdays. Mon-Fri 4pm-12am; Sat-Sun 11am-12am.