Best Italian Food in Downtown Nashville, Period!
Questi si chiamano gnocchi. I remeber that phrase like it was yesterday. It was a 5-year-old after all who was telling me what gnocchi were and was all to kind to inform me that my Italian pronunciation was terrible. That child is 10 now, but I cherish my experience with my Italian host family as much as I cherish Italian food itself. If Superman's weakness is kryptonite, mine most certainly is a good Linguine Carbonara. But when Giancarlo, owner of Sole Mio Fine Italian Cuisine, in the Sobro section of Downtown Nashville, told me he'd make his special Gnocchi alla Sorrentina, my mouth watered, first, and second, my skepticism gland went into overdrive: Could this really be as good as the gnocchi I had in Italy?
It was better. In fact, I'm not sure how Sole Mio pulls it off but that was some of the best Italian food I've ever had, and I've had a lot. (Seriously! You should see pictures of me from when I was on the boot-shaped peninsula - I gained 20 freaking pounds!) Weight gain hazards aside, I thoroughly enjoyed my meal - salad was awesome, fresh Italian bread...awesome and I finished it with, no lie, best Creme Brule of my life:
If you show up in Nashville and are looking for authentic Italian, look no further. My now 10-year-old Italian teacher says so :). Sole Mio is located right by the Ascend Amphitheater in SoBro, Downtown Nashville. Address: 311 3rd Ave South Nashville, TN 37201 You can make reservations by dialing 615-256-4013 and visit their website at http://www.solemionashville.com/ for more info.
