The Sampler
Brown Bike
Eatery and Drinkery
The new Brown Bike restaurant, perched on the corner of Van Buren and Gould streets in a newly renovated space, is well on its way to a big success.
There is nothing the Sampler enjoys more than dining al fresco, out in the fresh air, and the bulk of the seating at Brown Bike is on metal patio tables with large umbrellas which are spread across the deck.
Seated comfortably in the shade of a big umbrella, one is able to take in the whole panorama of visitors at play in downtown Nashville, enjoy the breezes of a beautiful day, and contemplate a stimulating and appealing offering of victuals and libations. All of the menu categories reference bicycling.
But first, a frosty libation! Brown Bike has a delightful array of cocktails which seem perfectly suited before, during, or and after a light and tasty repast on the veranda.
There’ s a good selection of cold beer and a handful of wines. But their signature“ Coasting Cocktails” include spiked Italian ice with tequila or vodka, Limoncello lemonade, Bourbon ale— whiskey, ginger ale and a splash of lime, or an Aperol spritz— Prosecco, Aperol and club soda over ice with an orange slice.
There are appetizers on offer,“ Pedal Starters,” including pita chips with roasted red pepper and feta dip or white queso and black bean dip and batter-dipped fried cheese curds with house garlic aioli or avocado ranch dressing.
“ Healthy Ride Salads” include a Bean Blossom Salad served with house-made avocado ranch or Greek vinaigrette dressing or a Cog Salad featuring crispy chicken bites, hard boiled eggs, bacon with blue cheese crumbles, and grape tomatoes with avocado ranch dressing. The mainstay of the menu are the“ Destination Sandwiches”: hamburgers, a chicken sandwich, a deep-fried grilled cheese, yummy things in pita pockets, and an Italian Beef.
Mrs. Sampler chooses the Brown Bike Burger. You can get one, two, or three four-ounce patties of locally raised, grass fed, non GMO, non antibiotic or hormone given ground beef, served with crinkle cutter fries, baked beans or a cucumber salad.
There’ s a Greek chicken pita with sliced tomatoes, feta cheese, kalamatra olives, lettuce and tzatziki sauce, and the fascinating Cheese Frenchie— grilled cheese coated in a“ special mixture” and deep fried.
I came for the Italian beef sandwich, of which the menu states,“ Dad’ s reputation rides on his 60-year old recipe!”
You may think of this sandwich as a French Dip, but that largely depends on what you call the bread upon which it is served. Is that a French baguette or an Italian-style roll?
Either way, the sandwich has nothing to do with France or Italy. Two different Los Angeles Restaurants claim to have invented the French Dip in 1908, and 1918. There are also multiple claims for the creation of the Italian Beef sandwich in Chicago in the 1930s.
Of course, it being an Italian beef, the au jus(“ with juice”) is called“ gravy.” It can be served hot, topped with Italian giardiniera or sweet, with sautéed green peppers.
Brown Bike slow-cooks choice, trimmed, paper-thin sliced beef for hours in their kitchen, piles it on an eight-inch roll, and serves it either dry with broth on the side, or wet soaked with that delicious brown gravy.
60 Our Brown County • Sept./ Oct. 2018