Clarksville, TN – Ten miles south of Nashville, with the skyline looming above, lies a treasure trove of international stores and restaurants, centrally located on or just off Nolensville Pike. Although most people know it because of its entrance to the Nashville Zoo, many don’t take the time to wander parts north and south, which I have dubbed “Nashville’s Spice Road.”
It has become a favorite haunt of mine, and although I visit several times a year, I know that I’ve barely scratched the surface of all the ethnic varieties of places to visit. Keeping that in mind, I’ll share with you some of my food favorites and nationally renowned places to sample a delicious and authentic meal:
Osh 216 Thompson Lane
Uzbekistan Cuisine is served here. Before my first visit, I could not begin to tell you what the cuisine was or where the country was located. After perusing the menu, I saw some familiar items that I identified as Korean, Middle Eastern, Russian, and many that I could not place.
My server explained to me that the country lies at the beginning of the famous Silk Road and many cultures exist peacefully together, including Koreans, Asians, Russians, and Middle Easterners who came in to trade and ended up as permanent residents. Osh was recognized at #9 of the top 100 restaurants on YELP for 2022 and continues its high rankings today.
The restaurant is named for its signature or national dish, osh or plov, which is an ancient Persian dish that includes meat, spices, carrots, and onions and was the fare of Alexander the Great. It is the comfort food of Uzbek meals and is cooked in a large cauldron called a kazan, similar to paella in Spain. It is one of my favorites.
You’ll also find homemade hummus, suzma (similar to a feta dip), and ikra, a vegetarian dip. Chechevitsa, a lentil soup made with lentils imported from Russia, is a favorite along with vinegret, a beetroot, potato, and onion salad. You can also find kimchi, meat kebabs, fresh grilled fish, and baklava here.
Degthai 3025 Nolensville Pike
Flavors of Thailand are experienced here. Can’t miss the place with its red and yellow bright painted mural of Thai cartoon characters and crowded parking spaces. There’s a reason this place was ranked #45 on YELP’s top 100 restaurants this past year and is a consistent winner in Nashville Scene’s rankings for best Thai food and Takeout.
In 2011 Degthai was Nashville’s first Thai food truck serving street food options, which is still the mainstay of its menu today. In November of 2020 the restaurant went to brick-and-mortar and the word spread.
With its Bangkok influence and its purposely limited menu of 8-10 entrees , the dishes are truly Thai authentic with no watering down of ingredients or heat. Green and red curries are flavorful with abundant vegetables and herbs. Stir-fry Pad Kra Pao with fresh basil and seasoned pork is the most ordered item, along with Pad Thai.
Mild heat would be best recommended, but there is an option to add chili oil, nam prik pao (chili sauce ), and dried Thai chili peppers with each meal. The reason for the flavor authenticity is the inclusion of Thai bird’s eye chili peppers in the dishes which was both an eye and tongue opener when I visited Bangkok in 2004.
Edessa 3802 Nolensville Pike
Turkish and Kurdish food are offered here. Nondescript on the outside, but once inside, it mimics a country tavern you would find in the Mediterranean. No surprise you would find a Kurdish restaurant in the largest Kurdish community in the US, roughly at 20,000. The restaurant is also on the New York Times top 50 list of restaurants.
Ample menus perfect for family-style sharing include a litany of hot and cold appetizers known as meze. Grilled kebabs and shawarma are a specialty, but vegetarian options are available. My suggestion is to share the appetizers, especially the dips such as hummus, cacik (similar to the Greek Tzatziki sauce), and ezme, which is a salsa made with walnuts, vegetables, and pomegranate molasses.
Add sarma (stuffed grape leaves) and a hot pastry roll such as borek stuffed with potato, cheese, spinach, or feta, or a boregi, a feta and parsley fried filo dough roll. Then split one of the meat specialties, especially lamb if you can save room. Do try a dessert such as a baklava or the katmer, filo dough filled with pistachios, sugar, and the Turkish version of clotted cream called kaymak, brushed with butter and chopped pistachios.
Plaza Mariachi 3921 Nolensville Pike
Experience a market for Latin American and Mexican food here. A former grocery market, Plaza Mariachi is decorated in the decor one would expect in strolling a Mexican or Latin mercado. Its mission is that it “exists to celebrate cultural diversity.” One obvious feature that separates this place from any other like-type restaurant is its performance stage offering entertainment 7 days a week, including singers, circus performances, and salsa dancing groups.
A food court allows you to view the entertainment while partaking of the various food establishments set up aside. You can find tacos, chimichurri grilled items, plantains, menudo, sopes and more. I’d highly recommend the street corn and grilled skewers. If you’re looking for tequila options, the Z bar offers excellent margaritas, micheladas, and palomas. After you’ve finished eating, stroll through the various markets and find specialty Latin foods, Mexican tooled leather, and colorful embroidered apparel.
Panca 3915 Nolensville Pike
Peruvian specialtiesare found here. A casual type restaurant with an outdoor terrazzo and a bright colored llama adorning its bar, Panca is the part of the Plaza Mariachi concept of Latin American cuisine adjacent to the plaza. Peruvian food is clearly not to be confused with Mexican fare as the county’s foods are influenced by indigenous Incan and Spanish tastes. Corn, potatoes, and grains such as quinoa are mainstays along with grilled meats and fish. The hallmark of Peruvian food is ceviche, and there are several types offered here.
Fresh fish, shrimp or both are cooked in the lemon and lime juice along with red onions and aji spice (yellow chile pepper) mixed in for a refreshing version of ceviche. Jalea, which is a lightly breaded and spiced fish over a bed of yucca is popular. Potatoes with a cheese and chili sauce called Papa a La Huancaina are a favorite here as well as the Tallarin Verde which is a pasta with a green pesto sauce.
Don’t miss the green plantains (tostones) served with two Peruvian sauces; one similar to an aioli and an aji verde, a spicy Peruvian green sauce. Didn’t make room for dessert but did try the national Peruvian drink, the Pisco sour, similar to a whiskey sour but made with the liquor from Peru called Pisco, which is made from fermented grapes.
If I haven’t whet your appetite to try one or all of these places, stay tuned for the second part of this article, where you can shop for the ingredients and specialty foods to put a little international fare on your table.
