I am going to go a bit contrary to the reviews I have seen on Tantisimo. I did not think it was…read morebad, but I also don't see the hype. There were some things that stood out, but most that did not. I welcome comments on what I should focus on for a future trip, as I am always willing to go from "this is average" to "this is outstanding" if I just did not hit the right notes.
Tl;DR - Dessert was the star of the show
This came recommended by a guy I recommended Kosho to. He came back with a glowing review of Kosho, so I figured his recommendation of Tantisimo as the best restaurant in Nashville might stick. Perhaps I should add this up to a night that was not hitting on all cylinders? Or perhaps our taste buds were not in line with the crowd here. As such, I find this average with some high notes. Yes, I know most people consider 3 stars to be bad, but to me it was just average. YMMV
This was a last minute decision and I was able to find a spot in their parking lot when I drove up. This is a kind of luck I seem to have, but would gladly give up for winning a huge lottery. LOL. Seemed like a great sign.
Coming in, the place is small, but definitely builds up the vibe they are going for, which is like a small, upscale cantina. Kudos. Nicely bound cocktail, beer, wine, and liquor list. Kudos. Trisha greeted and was able to lead us to drinks. Kudos again.
I got the Much Fashioned, which was like a Latin old fashioned, which uses Belle Meade bourbon, piloncillo, and aztec bitters. Very nicely done cocktail.
As it was later, we went more with smaller plates: bolillo bread, pan de bueno, yuca encebollada, crudo, and shrimp skewers. The pan de bueno was a bit like Brazilian Pão de Queijo only less cheesy in execution. The Bolillo bread was more interesting with the chorizo butter. The star of the starches was the yuca encebollada with mushrooms and scallions. The Yellowfin crudo was interesting with the strawberry, which added a nice touch. The fried planatin strips added a nice visual. The shrimp were overly salty and a bit overcooked.
We ended with dessert. The CU|FLan was excellent. And extremely well executed flan. I got the carjillo, which reminded me a bit of an espresso with a nice hint of vanilla.
I would go back for dessert and drinks, for sure. I am torn on the meal and would love to have any recommendations of what items I did not have I should consider on a future trip.