good cut of meat
After much cajoling by my boyfriend, I finally agreed to find and discover for ourselves Butchertown Hall. I suppose the name threw me off, but what we found was not a dark butcher’s cafeteria. The place does serve what looks to be beautiful meats at other meal times, but of course we were there for the best time - brunch time.
The place was winter wonderland photo ready - white wreaths, gold vases with candles and a two story tree. Butchertown is a throwback to it’s neighborhood roots. It’s located in Germantown, a part of Nashville that used to be lined with German butcher shops. The white tile, wood floor and straight lines were a testament to a hipster vibe on a rustic past.
Immediately upon seating, our chill waiter brought us a round of house classic mimosas. Balance of champagne to orange juice was near perfection, served in stemless glasses. For the first time in this strangely warm season, it felt like the holidays, and we settled deeply into some pretty comfy seats. My man, having recently started a pretty strict diet, was looking for something low in carbs and high in nutritional value. Being the biscuit slave that I am, my eyes searched for something that would bring me to biscuit-bliss. We both settled on dishes that would give us both the hearty flavors you would expect from a butcher-shop-turned-modern-kitchen as well as the texan-throwback that was a part of the establishment’s history. For him - the Breakfast Tacos; for me - Biscuits and Brisket Gravy.
After we put our order in, we spent time trying to figure out if the entire back wall was a mirror or if the room was bigger than we thought [it was the former]. The other patrons seemed okay, a little too pretty for me, but then again, that’s anywhere you go in Music City. Every hipster is dressed like the CMA star they are in their own minds.
A sharply dressed man, looking definitely like a manager of some sort, appeared in record time. On a wood block was the boy’s choice of tacos. The dish included smoothly ground chorizo, lightly finished eggs, cool advacado, fresh cheese and a radish mix. The chorizo, like some other sausages served, are made in house. It has a spicy kick that gave the tacos exactly what you want from them. A small stone bowl on the side was a mix of crisp beans in a tangy sauce with some fresh greens mixed in. It looked like an Instagram dream.
On a fresh white plate, placed in front of me, were three extra large biscuits draped with a creamy gravy, punctuated by bits of brisket. The deep layered taste in the gravy came from the tender brisket, another cut of meat cured in house. It was hearty and still light, but each biscuit was for sure two inches tall and even more around. Sadly, I left some biscuit on the plate. Not to over state this point, but the biscuits were for sure the largest I’ve been served in any brunch spot in any corner of Nashville.
The price was about even - $10 for him, $9 for me. We both felt immensely satisfied - both with what we ate and where we were. Service was quick - we never wondered where our server was, and we didn’t feel interrupted ever either. The stack of wood, the mirrored wall, the sunlight, simple and rustic elements surrounded us and it all worked. Classic mimosas were $5 a piece, but felt like a steal - next time I’ll spend the extra dollar for the winter-spiced grapefruit version. Butchertown does serve a Bloody Mary, if that’s more your style - you pick your poison and it’ll set you back $9. For a liquor-free brunch, they proudly serve Frothy Monkey coffee which is an ideal choice for a true Nashville flavor.
I won’t lie - these weren’t “the best biscuits I’ve ever had.” I’m still searching for those. But for the butcher chic vibe, the hometown attitude and for biscuits three times larger than any other spot so far, B-Hall is getting a solid Norah Jones, circa Feels Like Home, rating from us over here at ENB.
