I had always heard about Pinewood Social, the brilliant 13,000-square-foot collaboration of breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner; coffee and alcoholic drinks; bowling, dining, and lounging. It's dubbed "a place to meet;" and oh, did I meet a fine selection, both on and off the menu.
Upon entering the vast space, the 360-degree bar may first grab your attention. Yet turn left, and you'll see a mini Crema shop (Nashville's popular espresso spot) with apron-clad baristas and a tiny curated pastry counter. I withheld the initial intention to order a vanilla almond milk latté and saved it for the way out, since we were immediately hitting the road back to Memphis.
Although I am a major brunch fan (especially sunny side up eggs), my mother and sister prefer lunch. So, off we ordered at 11:30 a.m.: a lobster roll, kale salad with grilled shrimp, chicken and biscuits with no gravy (rookie mistake, but we didn't feel as stuffed), and fried broccoli.
The chicken on the biscuits was divine -- not too greasy or breaded, but perfectly crisp upon a dense biscuit. I managed to mention that this put Chick Fil A to shame...and I never thought I'd utter those words.
The lobster roll was different than expected, especially since it wasn't "roll," but more of a sandwich on texas toast. The lobster itself was meaty and flavorful. I could have done without the bun and cauliflower salad. Lobster meat on a plate, please?
The kale salad was mountainous and marvelous, especially with shrimp. I recommend it, though I could have enjoyed a small portion rather than regular (they give you the option). I loved the parmesan and mix of greens and purples atop the plate. It went nicely with the flash-fried broccoli with vegan almond aioli (which I could have eaten alone).
The cinnamon sugar doughnut special...oh goodness. Three dips: bourbon vanilla, salted caramel, and Nutella. Because the dessert was served as doughnut hole, one bite felt like no harm! So I ate three. One for each dip. No regrets.
Next time, I'm bowling and trying the dinner menu. I cannot wait to return and Pinewood Socialize.