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Craig's Peninsula is a really good restaurant with an adventurous menu, on the edge of greatness. The Dick Wolf menu is pickable, and everything is very good, some are especially good. If you split everything, you are overfilling yourself. Especially good are the Spanish Tortilla, Endive, Ibérico Solomillo, and the White Chocolate desert. There is a full bar, and an eclectic Continental wine list. Service is excellent, almost full service, even at the bar.
Booked ahead for Friday night dinner and had an amazing experience here! One of the two best meals we had in Nashville (Locust being the other). My boyfriend and I ordered: + Sail on, sailor + Passionfruit gin and tonic + Spanish tortilla + Chewy rice + Hokkaido scallop + Octopus + Endive + White chocolate dessert with candied nori + Marzipan doughnuts with caviar Both cocktails were great, and my favorite dishes were the chewy rice, octopus, endive and doughnuts. Scallop was also fantastic. Only miss for me was the Spanish tortilla, which was very flanlike (not my thing). Otherwise no notes! Oh, and the Daft Punk/Tame Impala soundtrack was very much a vibe!
The food was great but the service-portion-price-ambience just didnt add up to the whole experience. Its neither a good curated tasting menu nor a casual eat place. Its somewhere in between and you kind of get lost within that to fully enjoy. The sherry collection was great and the candid seaweed dessert was to die for. Special mention to the beetroot starter dish; it was so well executed! I might want to go again to give it another chance; just because the food would be worth it.
We recently celebrated an anniversary at the Peninsula and glad we did! First, I'm am not that familiar with tapas (small plates for sharing) etiquette or how things work here and the staff was friendly and understanding when I asked. They explained that most dishes would be served on a single plate and brought out so we could share and described things that would already be brought into separate portions, such as the soup. We ended up ordering drinks and six plates, which was the right amount of food. Okay, about the experience. The host recognized us right away - we were the oldest in the restaurant - and congratulated us on our anniversary, which I highlighted on the on-line reservation through Open Table. We were taken to our table and handed a personalized menu, suitable for commemorating our celebration. G's cocoanut cocktail (Sail on Sailor). was yummy and my beer was surprisingly good and complimented almost all of the plates we ordered. The tuna came out first and was served on separate plates. Which worked well and tasted great. A bit spicy and very nice, especially since I appreciate sushi and sashimi. Next was the scallops. We both thought they were good (G is a tough critic and hard to please as a scallop aficionado) and enjoyed how they were presented and prepared by Chef Dick Wolf. This was followed by two shrimp rolls , which was accompanied by the explanation that one uses their hands to pick up the leaf as a wrapper for the fried shrimp. The wasabi was perfect and this was a great mixture of textures and tastes that left me wanting a second one. But G ate all hers and we both remarked how good this was. The salmon was wonderful, though at the moment, the details seem to escape my recollection. The penultimate dish was the melon and cucumber balls. I loved how they tingled the tip of my tongue. G said the numbed the side of her tongue and remarked that it was as fun as it sounded. This might have been my favorite as it really like how it felt. (Fair warning, I like the feeling of a small 9-volt battery on my tongue and it was something like that.) This was capped by the lobster. Which despite getting full, was a delicious, creamy and mixture of textures that was great. Okay, far better than I can describe, and frankly far better than the lobster I had on our recent cruise. (Probably not a high enough bar to compare, but I do recommend it!) Service was great and with the relaxed atmosphere and delicious food and drink, the staff went above and beyond to make this a memorable anniversary. This experience compares favorably with a Michelin starred restaurant we dined in Athens and it would not surprise me to see this place become Nashville leading contender to join those hallowed ranks. Other notes: street parking was easy to have, right in front, should you secure an early reservation. Not sure how challenging it would be later. Also, plan for your meal to last about two hours - definitely not a dine and dash place - which ought to give you a great place for a date night to relax, talk, and have a great meal and experience.
The foods were pretty good! One of the fish dish is a little fishy. 8/10. The service was amazing! The drinks were amazing and the ambiance is fantastic
I loved the interior of Peninsula and the vibe was just right! Everything we ate was prepared nicely and we enjoyed the flavors and complexity of the dishes. We ordered quite a bit and I wish there was just a little more - like a bread option or something a little more filling. Our favorite dish was the sticky rice with lobster and the dessert was amazing too! The service was great and they did a nice job of explaining all of the dishes!
I recently visited The Peninsula with a friend, and we decided to let our server, Craig (one of the co-owners), choose our dishes for us. Btw.. Craig is amazing!!!! Since the menu is tapas-style, we wanted to explore a variety of flavors without having to make all the decisions ourselves so Craig made them for us. We had also heard the chef had won a James Beard Award, so our expectations were high. We started with the potato broth with lemon -- earthy, unique, and intriguing. Next came the beet with roasted garlic and habanero. I'm not a beet fan, but my friend loved it. The standout for me was the chewy rice with dill pollen, caviar, and lobster -- phenomenal. Perfect balance of flavors, and I'd absolutely order it again. The smoked hamachi with yuna, horseradish, and lime was on the fishier side, which I personally enjoyed. For dessert, we had the white chocolate with salted blackberries, candied nori, and brown butter -- absolutely delicious. We also tried their gin and tonics: I had the No. 8, and my friend had the No. 4 -- both excellent. To top off our dessert, we had a glass of Emilio Moro Polvorete and let me tell you that this is a must try!! Hint.. it has an apple flavor that you can also smell while drinking it. The Peninsula is small, quaint, and personable. I loved that we could see the chef working nearby, and the sunset behind us made the evening even more memorable. If you're looking to expand your palate and try dishes that are outside the ordinary, this is a fantastic place to visit.
This has quickly become my favorite restaurant in Nashville. I had heard high praise before coming but this surpassed my expectations. First of all, the kitchen is open and beautiful. Second, Craig, the server (or owner?) is SO funny. He has such a big personality, comes sit down next to you, and chit chats all the time. He's great. The food is exquisite and creative. This is tapas executed artistically and molecularly unique. An absolute dream. We ordered the whole menu, and I'd say the absolute MUST orders are the Endive, the Iberico, the Scallop, the Beet, and the Marzipan and Caviar donut. All of these were OUT of this world. Everything else is still worth a try, though, I'm just saying you HAVE to order those. Also, they always have some specials and a good rule of thumb is: order them. I got their rum-bunk-shush drink: SO delicious, not too sweet. Hit hard, though. Afterwards, they made me an off menu drink they called the "Bounty Bar." Also really great and coco nutty. Highly highly highly recommend coming here.
Wow! The food here is phenomenal! Everything was served to get the perfect bite. We had the special fatty tuna which was a great start to our dinner. My favorite thing we had was the hamachi. The horseradish and uni went perfectly with the fish. Our waiter told us that we could not skip the endive and he was totally right! My husband said that was his favorite dish of the night and he could have had 5 more bowls. We also had the Iberico pig which tasted more like steak than ham but another great dish. We ended our evening with the scallop. It had a lot of parts to it but when you got each part on the fork it was a perfect bite. I love how all the portions were served on the smaller side to make it a portion for one person. Overall we loved this restaurant and would recommend to anyone who is a foodie. Definitely has some adventurous foods but worth a try for sure!
I started with the squash broth. Oh my goodness, so much flavor. I want this every time I am sick. It feels like it will heal me deep to my bones. But the point of this dish is to get your digestive juices going, enhancing the experience of the meal. We had the Spanish tortilla with ailoi, which was silky in texture and packed with flavor. Next was the shrimp wrapped in santa leaf with wasabi bearnaise. The santa leaf had a slight licorice or root beer flavor. The smoked tuna was our least favorite. We didn't ask many questions, and didn't know what to expect. I think the process of smoking the tuna may have changed the texture in a way that we were not prepared to enjoy smoked raw tuna, but I believe this may be a personal preference. The cut of tuna was smooth and the jalapeño foam was bright and delicious. The endive was a flavor packed dish, and one of our favorites. I strongly suggest the endive. The octopus was crispy on the outside, firm on the inside but not chewy. The passionfruit sauce added a sweet and tart flavor while the avocado helped balance the passionfruit. Next was the iberico solomillo. It was definitely the tenderloin, so tender and full of flavor. The potato chips added crunch and saltiness that I appreciated. The chili peanut sauce was a great addition. The restaurant itself was a little dark and maybe a little loud upon arrival, but seemed to have quieted some after sitting down at our table. The staff was friendly. We didn't ask many questions as we were in a mood to just let the restaurant take the lead. We enjoyed our meal overall.
The quality of this restaurant speaks for itself when you dine here. I was impressed from the moment of my first bite of food. Peninsula serves small plates, tapas style which was perfect for our group of 4. Just note all the food doesn't come out at once, but that each dish is presented by the staff in detail one by one. The service was excellent throughout. I started off with a spritz recommended by the owner which was the perfect sipping drink and not too sweet. What we ordered: Endive- a must order! a fun, unique dish with incredible flavor Eggplant, bone marrow- charred, buttery eggplant Duck- good, not great and probably my least favorite dish Octopus- a must order!! tempura like octopus with an addicting sauce smoked scallop & hamachi- my favorite!!! still dreaming about the bite of scallop with uni sauce Iberico presa- another favorite! nutty cut of pork I am so happy we checked out this restaurant and hope to be back again soon!
When I tell you that this is probably the best food I've ever eaten, believe me!!!! Every plate was astonishingly good and thoughtfully prepared. The atmosphere is both elegant and casual and the service is wonderfully personal. As a vegetarian, I had plenty of options with their current menu. I ended up with three separate plates and dessert and they were all splendid. Be prepared to shell out for this meal because you will want to try everything on the menu. We will definitely be back
![Chewy rice [cakes], strawberry, lemon verbena](https://s3-media0.fl.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/2pTzUfYkA-XYdx3nGH-tpw/258s.jpg "Chewy rice [cakes], strawberry, lemon verbena")
Still thinking about dinner here the next day -- and probably will be for a while, with hopes to return! I imagine for some folks, the bare-bones menu or the more experimental combos of ingredients might be a turn-off. But if you're used to more adventurous/modern dishes, or want to be pushed out of your comfort zone, this is a great spot. (It reminded me in some ways of one of our favorite restaurants in the world, Berbena, in Barcelona.) Our favorite dishes of the menu available in early August 2023: Cucumber Chewy rice (pictured) Scallop White chocolate dessert My go-to cocktail is a gin & tonic, so I'm always pleased to see a place that goes deep with several flavor options/a whole G&T menu. Service was warm and helpful, with Kelsey taking the lead and others pitching in. We didn't even feel too weird showing up at 5:00 for an early-bird dinner and being the only diners inside for a while. And, being a block off Gallatin, free parking was pretty easy to come by.
1 month ago
Chef Jake Howell delivers a modernly creative and fun menu in a cozy setting for a truly special dining experience at Peninsula. A friend who knows this spot well reserved a table for 2 on a Thursday night and I felt welcomed from the moment I arrived. Each dish is thoughtfully presented with fresh table settings between courses. The menu descriptions depict the basic concept of a dish, but there are always surprises in the flavor combinations, textures, or unique preparation of otherwise common ingredients that keep you guessing from first sip to last bite. I ordered the cold brew tonic mocktail which was perfectly balanced with a tonic forward bold yet smooth flavor. The beet is presented in a spiral of ribbons and tastes mildly spicy from the habanero. The endive was one of my favorite dishes of the night. The onions and creamy foam join the crunchy endive to form the perfect bite. The scallop was tender, sweet, floral, and never ending due to its enormous size! The chewy rice cakes and broth were the comfort food I didn't know I needed The octopus was oh-so-crispy and served with an addicting sauce. The marzipan donut was delightfully chewy, salty, and sweet while the salted raspberry was tart but balanced by the white chocolate cream and sugary flakes of crispy nori. Ordering both desserts was not a mistake and I will probably repeat this decision when I inevitably come back! I was told the sauce served with the octopus has recently changed. I can't wait to see what else the chef has up his sleeve on future iterations of this ever evolving menu. read more
Peninsula is a true standout in Nashville's dining scene--unique, inventive, and superbly delicious. More people should know about this gem, and they certainly will now that it's been recognized by the Michelin Guide with a Bib Gourmand. The space is intimate and the exceptional service is attentive, and not overbearing. The ever-evolving, creative menu surprises and delights every palate, offering about 12 small plates that deliver quality and flavor. The chewy rice with lobster was exceptional, while the marzipan with potato and caviar ranks among the best bites you'll ever have. Peninsula is an absolute must-visit--and if it continues on its current path, a Michelin Star feels inevitable. Congrats to the James Beard's Best Chef and team! read more
Craig's Peninsula is a really good restaurant with an adventurous menu, on the edge of greatness. The Dick Wolf menu is pickable, and everything is very good, some are especially good. If you split everything, you are overfilling yourself. Especially good are the Spanish Tortilla, Endive, Ibérico Solomillo, and the White Chocolate desert. There is a full bar, and an eclectic Continental wine list. Service is excellent, almost full service, even at the bar. read more
Booked ahead for Friday night dinner and had an amazing experience here! One of the two best meals we had in Nashville (Locust being the other). My boyfriend and I ordered: + Sail on, sailor + Passionfruit gin and tonic + Spanish tortilla + Chewy rice + Hokkaido scallop + Octopus + Endive + White chocolate dessert with candied nori + Marzipan doughnuts with caviar Both cocktails were great, and my favorite dishes were the chewy rice, octopus, endive and doughnuts. Scallop was also fantastic. Only miss for me was the Spanish tortilla, which was very flanlike (not my thing). Otherwise no notes! Oh, and the Daft Punk/Tame Impala soundtrack was very much a vibe! read more
1 year ago
The food was great but the service-portion-price-ambience just didnt add up to the whole experience. Its neither a good curated tasting menu nor a casual eat place. Its somewhere in between and you kind of get lost within that to fully enjoy. The sherry collection was great and the candid seaweed dessert was to die for. Special mention to the beetroot starter dish; it was so well executed! I might want to go again to give it another chance; just because the food would be worth it. read more
1 year ago
We recently celebrated an anniversary at the Peninsula and glad we did! First, I'm am not that familiar with tapas (small plates for sharing) etiquette or how things work here and the staff was friendly and understanding when I asked. They explained that most dishes would be served on a single plate and brought out so we could share and described things that would already be brought into separate portions, such as the soup. We ended up ordering drinks and six plates, which was the right amount of food. Okay, about the experience. The host recognized us right away - we were the oldest in the restaurant - and congratulated us on our anniversary, which I highlighted on the on-line reservation through Open Table. We were taken to our table and handed a personalized menu, suitable for commemorating our celebration. G's cocoanut cocktail (Sail on Sailor). was yummy and my beer was surprisingly good and complimented almost all of the plates we ordered. The tuna came out first and was served on separate plates. Which worked well and tasted great. A bit spicy and very nice, especially since I appreciate sushi and sashimi. Next was the scallops. We both thought they were good (G is a tough critic and hard to please as a scallop aficionado) and enjoyed how they were presented and prepared by Chef Dick Wolf. This was followed by two shrimp rolls , which was accompanied by the explanation that one uses their hands to pick up the leaf as a wrapper for the fried shrimp. The wasabi was perfect and this was a great mixture of textures and tastes that left me wanting a second one. But G ate all hers and we both remarked how good this was. The salmon was wonderful, though at the moment, the details seem to escape my recollection. The penultimate dish was the melon and cucumber balls. I loved how they tingled the tip of my tongue. G said the numbed the side of her tongue and remarked that it was as fun as it sounded. This might have been my favorite as it really like how it felt. (Fair warning, I like the feeling of a small 9-volt battery on my tongue and it was something like that.) This was capped by the lobster. Which despite getting full, was a delicious, creamy and mixture of textures that was great. Okay, far better than I can describe, and frankly far better than the lobster I had on our recent cruise. (Probably not a high enough bar to compare, but I do recommend it!) Service was great and with the relaxed atmosphere and delicious food and drink, the staff went above and beyond to make this a memorable anniversary. This experience compares favorably with a Michelin starred restaurant we dined in Athens and it would not surprise me to see this place become Nashville leading contender to join those hallowed ranks. Other notes: street parking was easy to have, right in front, should you secure an early reservation. Not sure how challenging it would be later. Also, plan for your meal to last about two hours - definitely not a dine and dash place - which ought to give you a great place for a date night to relax, talk, and have a great meal and experience. read more
I loved the interior of Peninsula and the vibe was just right! Everything we ate was prepared nicely and we enjoyed the flavors and complexity of the dishes. We ordered quite a bit and I wish there was just a little more - like a bread option or something a little more filling. Our favorite dish was the sticky rice with lobster and the dessert was amazing too! The service was great and they did a nice job of explaining all of the dishes! read more
1 year ago
I recently visited The Peninsula with a friend, and we decided to let our server, Craig (one of the co-owners), choose our dishes for us. Btw.. Craig is amazing!!!! Since the menu is tapas-style, we wanted to explore a variety of flavors without having to make all the decisions ourselves so Craig made them for us. We had also heard the chef had won a James Beard Award, so our expectations were high. We started with the potato broth with lemon -- earthy, unique, and intriguing. Next came the beet with roasted garlic and habanero. I'm not a beet fan, but my friend loved it. The standout for me was the chewy rice with dill pollen, caviar, and lobster -- phenomenal. Perfect balance of flavors, and I'd absolutely order it again. The smoked hamachi with yuna, horseradish, and lime was on the fishier side, which I personally enjoyed. For dessert, we had the white chocolate with salted blackberries, candied nori, and brown butter -- absolutely delicious. We also tried their gin and tonics: I had the No. 8, and my friend had the No. 4 -- both excellent. To top off our dessert, we had a glass of Emilio Moro Polvorete and let me tell you that this is a must try!! Hint.. it has an apple flavor that you can also smell while drinking it. The Peninsula is small, quaint, and personable. I loved that we could see the chef working nearby, and the sunset behind us made the evening even more memorable. If you're looking to expand your palate and try dishes that are outside the ordinary, this is a fantastic place to visit. read more
This has quickly become my favorite restaurant in Nashville. I had heard high praise before coming but this surpassed my expectations. First of all, the kitchen is open and beautiful. Second, Craig, the server (or owner?) is SO funny. He has such a big personality, comes sit down next to you, and chit chats all the time. He's great. The food is exquisite and creative. This is tapas executed artistically and molecularly unique. An absolute dream. We ordered the whole menu, and I'd say the absolute MUST orders are the Endive, the Iberico, the Scallop, the Beet, and the Marzipan and Caviar donut. All of these were OUT of this world. Everything else is still worth a try, though, I'm just saying you HAVE to order those. Also, they always have some specials and a good rule of thumb is: order them. I got their rum-bunk-shush drink: SO delicious, not too sweet. Hit hard, though. Afterwards, they made me an off menu drink they called the "Bounty Bar." Also really great and coco nutty. Highly highly highly recommend coming here. read more
1 year ago
Wow! The food here is phenomenal! Everything was served to get the perfect bite. We had the special fatty tuna which was a great start to our dinner. My favorite thing we had was the hamachi. The horseradish and uni went perfectly with the fish. Our waiter told us that we could not skip the endive and he was totally right! My husband said that was his favorite dish of the night and he could have had 5 more bowls. We also had the Iberico pig which tasted more like steak than ham but another great dish. We ended our evening with the scallop. It had a lot of parts to it but when you got each part on the fork it was a perfect bite. I love how all the portions were served on the smaller side to make it a portion for one person. Overall we loved this restaurant and would recommend to anyone who is a foodie. Definitely has some adventurous foods but worth a try for sure! read more
10 months ago
I started with the squash broth. Oh my goodness, so much flavor. I want this every time I am sick. It feels like it will heal me deep to my bones. But the point of this dish is to get your digestive juices going, enhancing the experience of the meal. We had the Spanish tortilla with ailoi, which was silky in texture and packed with flavor. Next was the shrimp wrapped in santa leaf with wasabi bearnaise. The santa leaf had a slight licorice or root beer flavor. The smoked tuna was our least favorite. We didn't ask many questions, and didn't know what to expect. I think the process of smoking the tuna may have changed the texture in a way that we were not prepared to enjoy smoked raw tuna, but I believe this may be a personal preference. The cut of tuna was smooth and the jalapeño foam was bright and delicious. The endive was a flavor packed dish, and one of our favorites. I strongly suggest the endive. The octopus was crispy on the outside, firm on the inside but not chewy. The passionfruit sauce added a sweet and tart flavor while the avocado helped balance the passionfruit. Next was the iberico solomillo. It was definitely the tenderloin, so tender and full of flavor. The potato chips added crunch and saltiness that I appreciated. The chili peanut sauce was a great addition. The restaurant itself was a little dark and maybe a little loud upon arrival, but seemed to have quieted some after sitting down at our table. The staff was friendly. We didn't ask many questions as we were in a mood to just let the restaurant take the lead. We enjoyed our meal overall. read more
The quality of this restaurant speaks for itself when you dine here. I was impressed from the moment of my first bite of food. Peninsula serves small plates, tapas style which was perfect for our group of 4. Just note all the food doesn't come out at once, but that each dish is presented by the staff in detail one by one. The service was excellent throughout. I started off with a spritz recommended by the owner which was the perfect sipping drink and not too sweet. What we ordered: Endive- a must order! a fun, unique dish with incredible flavor Eggplant, bone marrow- charred, buttery eggplant Duck- good, not great and probably my least favorite dish Octopus- a must order!! tempura like octopus with an addicting sauce smoked scallop & hamachi- my favorite!!! still dreaming about the bite of scallop with uni sauce Iberico presa- another favorite! nutty cut of pork I am so happy we checked out this restaurant and hope to be back again soon! read more
4 months ago
3 years ago
When I tell you that this is probably the best food I've ever eaten, believe me!!!! Every plate was astonishingly good and thoughtfully prepared. The atmosphere is both elegant and casual and the service is wonderfully personal. As a vegetarian, I had plenty of options with their current menu. I ended up with three separate plates and dessert and they were all splendid. Be prepared to shell out for this meal because you will want to try everything on the menu. We will definitely be back read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
Still thinking about dinner here the next day -- and probably will be for a while, with hopes to return! I imagine for some folks, the bare-bones menu or the more experimental combos of ingredients might be a turn-off. But if you're used to more adventurous/modern dishes, or want to be pushed out of your comfort zone, this is a great spot. (It reminded me in some ways of one of our favorite restaurants in the world, Berbena, in Barcelona.) Our favorite dishes of the menu available in early August 2023: Cucumber Chewy rice (pictured) Scallop White chocolate dessert My go-to cocktail is a gin & tonic, so I'm always pleased to see a place that goes deep with several flavor options/a whole G&T menu. Service was warm and helpful, with Kelsey taking the lead and others pitching in. We didn't even feel too weird showing up at 5:00 for an early-bird dinner and being the only diners inside for a while. And, being a block off Gallatin, free parking was pretty easy to come by. read more
![Peninsula - Chewy rice [cakes], strawberry, lemon verbena - Portuguese Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee](https://s3-media0.fl.yelpcdn.com/bphoto/2pTzUfYkA-XYdx3nGH-tpw/348s.jpg "Peninsula - Chewy rice [cakes], strawberry, lemon verbena - Portuguese Near Me - Nashville, Tennessee")
2 years ago
1 year ago
2 years ago
Sadly, not impressed... which was disappointing since I'd heard great things. My absolute least favorite thing is the crazy amount of money they charge you for extremely small portions. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a good tapas restaurant, but I at least want to feel somewhat full after my meal. I went with a group of 3 and they recommended 8-10 tapas. There are only 11 options on the menu.. so we ordered almost everything on the menu. The endives, shrimp, chewy rice, and broth were pretty good (although nothing amazing). The scallops and hamachj were just okay - hamachi was just this weird block of fish with ?uni on top that I'm not really sure added much. The ibérico solomillo was probably my least favorite - a few pieces of pork tenderloin and a few pieces of fried mussels (for $$$$). I will say, the service was excellent (perhaps the best part of the meal). I definitely won't be back, especially when there are so many other options in Nashville! read more
6 months ago
This restaurant review is a little challenging. There's no easy path so let's jump in. The food is inspired by the food of the Iberian Peninsula, mainly Spain and Portugal. Generally I like food from this region because I been in Spain and Portugal a few times plus i like to try new takes on cuisines, but this take was not my favorite. I know people who highly recommend and there are a slew of glowing reviews. This won't be one of them, albeit it might be personal preference. Consider it a counter point. The good: the mixology of the drinks. We asked them to get creative, and they did. They asked about some preferences, and voila, we had some delicious cocktails. Desserts, we had a few, but again too many to mention. There were times when we knew, we bit off more than we can chew. But we enjoyed them all, our way. As for the starters and mains, the descriptions were more interesting than the food itself, and there wasn't much to the description. The Spanish Tortilla lacked flavor. The seafood was okay. We were looking forward to the Iberian Presa, but sadly it was fashioned, as one our guests said, to look and taste like mom's meatloaf. The rest was simply not to our taste and important to mention the food was in the cold side and flavorless but the potato chips. Some of the people in our party went and got pizza after because they were not satisfied. Service and hospitality were on display. The staff was very attentive, and genuinely seemed to want to make the experience a great one. While enthusiastic, it was not a refined service with servers reaching over diners faces and being more intrusive than you would expect at the higher end of the dining spectrum. There are a couple of additional items. This is one of those restaurants you don't know what you are going to get until you are there. They have a menu which changes frequently, and the chef does their own thing the day of regardless of what the menu promises. Some like this style, for others it's off putting. As an aside, we were told there was private parking, but the night we went there was plenty of street parking, and the neighborhood seemed safe. Oh yea... cool bathroom decor. Needless to say not coming back to this place. read more
I wanted to like this place because I always love to check out small plates / upscale places with good ambience on a regular basis. However, this place did not really stand out and the food missed the mark. It felt a little bit overhyped given that reservations were pretty hard to get, snagging a last minute reservation for 7pm on a Saturday. My friend and I shared the mushroom broth, maitake with truffle and oregano, octopus with wasabi, and scallop with mustard oil and gooseberry (off menu item). I personally got the gin and tonic #8 which has citadelle, grapefruit, and vanilla, and it was decent for what it is worth ($12). Mushroom broth - the broth is very rich and soothing, great for the weather and great for an "aperitif" of some sort. For $6 though, I found this a bit overpriced as you get only a few sips. Maitake - although I am not a mushroom fan, I enjoyed this. The sauce is rich with Asian inspired ingredients, though I did not really taste much of the truffle. This is one of the heavier dishes and I'd recommend for the vegetable option. Octopus with wasabi - the octopus is lightly fried so the batter gives a nice crunch. The octopus is extremely fresh. The wasabi sauce is aerated to give a nice foamy texture, making the sauce larger in quantity but the taste weakened, which is good as the focus of the dish is the octopus. Scallops - this was not a memorable dish. While I liked the gooseberry, the fusion of the scallop with the mustard oil did not really work. What was worse was that this dish was $35 for 2 small pieces of scallops. If they are commanding such a high price, I expected a lot more sophistication and complexity in the preparation of this dish. Service is overall decent, so the dining experience was positive on that note. However, they try to be pretentious and upscale in the food, but lacked the execution to really bring the dishes up to that standard. They are expensive just to pretend it is fancy food, but it really missed the mark. read more
2 years ago
Amazing as always! We flew in from Amelia Island, Fl to visit our favorite restaurant in Nashville. The Staff is first class and Chef Jake is an Artist. The combination of textures and flavors are impecable. The Don't Miss it. read more
Peninsula 3/5 While some items here were delicious, I feel like the meal as a whole can be summed up in 1 word: forgettable. The restaurant itself has a nice interior vibe and decoration. We were seated quickly and we were able to place an order. The main issue is that this restaurant has such small quantities for a large price. Per person you won't even begin to be hungry if you eat 5 dishes yourself. Our waitress didn't come to check on us besides to take our order and bring food out. It would have been nice for more attention in general. We started with the strawberry broth served in a mug. It tasted exactly like warm bone broth that had strawberries in it and strained. Interesting, but I don't think that flavor profile really goes together. Would have been nice to have an aromatic in there. We then got the chicken skins. These were pretty plain and dry. Usually the fresh chicken skins I have gotten elsewhere had more fat on them and were juicier. These were akin more to super dry pork rinds. The sauce they gave to dip it in was nice (a chicken fat aioli). Next was smoked eggplant and salted cream. This was a really good dish albeit just 4 bites. The eggplant had a great grilled, Smokey flavor, and the salted cream was like a whipped ricotta. Another good dish was the maitake mushrooms with white chocolate. As a huge mushroom fan, these were cooked really well. The white chocolate sauce was hard to really taste, but I loved the mushrooms. We then got an off the menu trout dish cooked in chicken fat. While the fish was cooked well and was tender, this dish was just a little weird. The fish just tasted like chicken (since trout didn't have a strong flavor). Wasn't impressed. The last 3 dishes were my favorites of the night. The octopus dish was fried octopus served with a hot oil, a mayonnaise, and a mango purée. While the sauces weren't the best pairing choices for the octopus, the octopus was excellent. Really soft and tender, and breaded well. Tastes just like fried calamari but less chewy. We did a late add on of a Spanish tortilla (just eggs and potato in a quiche format, no wheat-related items). It was served with a side of mayonnaise. As an egg and potato connoisseur, I loved the dish. Simple, good flavors, tasty. It was a great dish to end the meal before dessert. Now for what was the best item of the whole meal - the dessert. This was a passion fruit semifreddo. It's essentially a passion fruit ice cream that was topped with mint leaves and then covered in a massive layer of buttercream frosting (much more butter to sugar ratio, so tasted very close to just actual butter). This dessert was excellent for those with a major sweet tooth. This is the item I would come back to eat. Overall, just an average experience and I think the restaurant should work to bringing more flavors in the dish rather than leaving them all relatively bland and under seasoned. read more
I'm giving Peninsula five stars because of the crazy amount of creativity. I went with my fiancée and we sat at the bar. I like the dim lighting and the chill atmosphere. The "Gin & It" was super good and a super different cocktail. A sweet/salty flavor. The bartender was very nice & informative and he seemed to really love talking about the food and all of the dishes. We started with the Cranberry broth and honestly, I think that's my favorite thing on the menu. I wanted eight cups of that delicious stuff and a much bigger bowl. We tried the Endive next and just couldn't help but laugh at the fun and creative presentation when it arrived (It almost looked like a creature lol) but it was actually really delicious, a must try! We then tried the smoked scallop & wasabi. I loved the wasabi sauce - I think they used olive oil and wasabi to create the sauce? ... Flavors that I've never really imagined together before but holy crap it worked and was so good. I wanted to lick that sauce off of the plate when I was done. The smoked scallop was super super tasty - i think our only thought was that we would have loved a little more texture in that dish but I'm not a chef... so I won't pretend I fully know what I'm talking about. My second drink was a Negroni and it was perfect, my bartender obviously loves Negronis as much as I do. We tried the beet and while it had a lovely flavor, it wasn't our favorite. I think next time I come, I'll try the octopus, the Iberco Presa and the chewy rice. And obviously will be ordering the Cranberry Broth again and again. Overall, this is a fun, creative and delicious spot with a kind staff. I hope it sticks around! read more
10 months ago
3 years ago
We just had the most incredible dining experience at Peninsula. I highly recommend the dishes we had (some not pictured): 1) the beet dish (best beet I've ever eaten) 2) the kohlrabi dish 3) shrimp santa leaf 4) chewy rice with bone broth 5) scallop with cherry blossom 6) the octopus 7) bay leaf nougat, vanilla dessert I wouldn't be able to describe these dishes well, they are truly just an experience. Thank you to Kelsey and team for the excellent service! read more
1 year ago
1 year ago
4 years ago
I was visiting Nashville from California. A very good friend of mine that lives here in the neighborhood wanted to treat me to what he called an excellent restaurant. Man, was he right, this place is begond excellent, it's phenomenal. First off, the service was fantastic. The host was able to squeeze us in around their reservations at a very nice table, solid ambience. Then, the owner came over and discussed the menu for food and drinks with us. Plenty of things on there peaked our interest, especially the Iberico Presa. My buddy let me know that he loves getting the gin & tonics here, chef's choice. We had a few different one each and every single one was delicious with a solid balance of flavors. Then, we got to the food. First plate, we had the Spanish tortilla and it was delicious. Great texture and flavor. Next, we had the Kohlrabi with trout roe and wow, it was outstanding, such a uniquely delicious dish. Presentation was very nice too. From there, the octopus with Wasabi and lime. Again, delicious, very nicely tempura'd (spelling?) octopus with a great pairing on the Wasabi flavor. Lastly, was the definitive star of the meal, the Iberico Presa. I wish I remembered the details regarding this very special cut of this very special pork but what I remember most was the insanely good flavor. You'd think you were eating a ribeye it was so buttery. We ordered it again, because one plate was not enough. Overall, to me, this place is a 10/10. Great location, service, ambience, drinks and food. Will be back next time I'm in Nashville. Major thanks to my buddy and the restaurant/ Craig for an awesome dining experience. read more
5 years ago
2 years ago
Great food! Great service. We don't live in Nashville but have been to peninsula twice during trips. This is absolutely an amazing restaurant. We travel a lot and this is one of our top 5 restaurants around the US. Our only criticism would be they really could increase the vegetable items throughout the menu. Other than that, fantastic. Must go! read more
5 years ago
Peninsula is back and with a vengeance. This place has always rocked my world and one of my favorite East Nashville establishments. The last time they were open was March 14th, 2020. They opened their doors again last night for the first time last night. I feel Peninsula has a closeness to my foodie heart. The owners are the best ever! Yuriko & Craig are very hands-on in the day-to-day dealings of the restaurant and with their customers. When I came in tonight, we greeted each other like a day hasn't past. It's that kind of love and familiarity that goes into their food, too. Everything you taste will offer huge flavor. This Spanish meet Asian tapas influences collides the best of both worlds. Lots of their ingredients are locally sourced. Have expectations coming in here because they deliver beyond it every time. Currently, open 3 days a week and will reopen to 5 in a month or so. read more
I have mixed feelings about this restaurant after trying it for the first time this past weekend. The place is spot-on with its Portuguese/Spanish-themed decor, which made me feel a little like I was back in Lisbon. The ambiance was great with all the big windows creating nice light, which seems to be the opposite of all the trendy restaurants now being buried in the dark. The wait staff was very attentive and friendly and they had a good wine selection. While we didn't get dessert, I liked that they had 4 options for some variety. They looked good; just didn't have time. Most of the food we tried was just okay in flavor in my opinion, but beautifully plated. I will follow that statement with the fact that I have been to Portugal and Spain, so my opinion might be a bit skewed. That being said, here's what I tried: -tomato toast - this was the star. It was amazing! Definitely order this when you go. I'm not a huge fan of tomatoes but it sounded so good I got it anyway. I was not disappointed and actually would order it again. -navy beans w/ squid - too rich for me but I was happy to see they didn't skimp on the squid! -chicken, hibiscus, enoki - very rich and the hibiscus while beautiful was very overpowering. I think this dish would be much better if they cut back on the hibiscus topping -morcilla crepe - this was not good. I tried one bite and couldn't eat anymore. My husband fortunately soldiered on but almost didn't make it himself. Both the texture and the taste were not palatable. I would not recommend this dish. Overall I enjoyed the atmosphere and went with 4 stars because of the tomato toast and the fact that they have good service with a rotating menu. read more
1 year ago
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1035 W Eastland Ave
Nashville, TN 37206
Greenwood
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(615) 924-1906
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http://www.peninsulanashville.com
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