Thursday, July 10, 2008

Today I Ate Lunch with 10 Strangers

Today I was taken to lunch at Monell's Dining in Nashville. I haven't processed the experience yet, so all I can do is describe it.

Monell's is in an old, large house in the Germantown neighborhood. I followed my host into the yard through an ivy-borne trellis and around the side of the house. The menu, which I see is based on the day of the week, is posted on the door to what was once a sunroom. And it's quite a long menu, but I don't have time to read it because as we enter are seated immediately.

Seated immediately at a large table. A very large table. With 8 people I don't know. Who are passing around bowls of food.

Cole Slaw, Macaroni Salad, Green Beans, Rolls and Corn Bread. I'm loading up some macaroni salad when a woman at the table tells us to pace ourselves, there is a lot of food. "Sure," I think, "there are three sides plus bread, and the main course to come." But before I've taken a bit of macaroni salad the staff seat 3 more people at our table and bring out mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, corn pudding, and okra for everyone to pass around.

Soon after I manage to get ahold of the sides I am interested in the staff seats two more people and brings out the main courses. Fried Chicken, Southern Barbeque Ribs, and Chicken Fried Steak.

And, of course, there was Banana Pudding for desert.

Lots of heavy, fried food. Around a table with 10 strangers. For $12. And the Weekend Brunch menu is a heart attack on a plate.

2 comments:

gabe said...

yikes...that doesn't sound fun for someone who doesn't like people

Ryan said...

It's better than 10 strangers eating you for lunch.