Homestyle cooking is fresh, simple and flavorful, evoking sweet memories of family around the dinner table.
Patty Timmons, Owner and Executive Chef of Lola’s Table, serves the same recipes in her restaurant that she does to her family, complete with her own additions and ingredients that take an authentic Filipino dish like adobo and make it her own, while preserving the history of the meal.
Her approach to cooking is based on simple ingredients with big flavors. She said, “A dish must look good and taste good. If there is an ingredient in the dish, like ginger, you have to see it and taste it. I like to use as few ingredients as I can when cooking because the ingredients are the star. Keep it simple, keep it fresh.”
Patty is a mother and grandmother, affectionately called “lola” by her grandchildren, which is Filipino for grandmother. From the restaurant’s name to the art gallery wall curated by Patty’s daughter to the signature cocktail named after a street where her sister lived, guests are sure to feel a familial sense of comfort and warmth every time they visit.
Take your taste buds on a flavor adventure at one of the many restaurants serving authentic international cuisine in Festival Country. We recommend these seven must-try, locally owned restaurants.
1. Lola’s Table takes traditional Filipino recipes and amps up the flavors with simple yet bold ingredients, like garlic and ginger, that you can see and taste in each dish. Come hungry and bring a group; everything is served family-style. Be sure to try a signature menu item, like the ube flatbread or the Hi, I’m Cassie cocktail.
2. If you’re craving quality seafood, visit Green Ginger for fresh, beautifully crafted sushi and sashimi, and other Asian dishes including teriyaki and ramen. The menu includes options for everyone: hot or cold, cooked or raw.
3. The authentic Mexican food at Blue Cactus Tacos & Tequila Bar will stay in your memory long after your last bite. The bold flavors of the street tacos, served on homemade corn tortillas, are a lunchtime staple, and the soups, seafood and chicken dishes will satisfy your dinner hunger. The handcrafted signature margaritas, tequila flights and cocktails are a refreshing addition to dinner.
4. Sisters Korean Restaurant is the only authentic Korean BBQ restaurant in Festival Country. Visit with a big appetite and try the all-you-can-eat BBQ cooked to your liking on your own tabletop grill with an assortment of traditional sides.
5. Try a fusion of flavors and cultures at The Original Chicago’s Pizza & Curry in Franklin. With a full menu featuring traditional Italian pizzas and breadsticks, this is the place to try pizza with toppings like tandoori paneer and achari gobi, along with other traditional curries and Indian main entrees.
6. From Cuban sandwiches and empanadas to pastelitos and espressos, Melao! Cuban Coffee is where to find Caribbean delicacies for breakfast and lunch. The espressos and coffee options are concentrated in flavor and caffeine, so they are best savored with good company.
7. Locals love Yokohama Japanese Cuisine and Sushi, where they can sit back and enjoy fresh sushi and bento options throughout the week or take a hands-on sushi-making class with Chef Debbie on Sundays.
Explore more locally owned restaurants serving delicious fare sure to satisfy every craving.
