I lived in Mobile, AL for a few years, parents born and raised there, my grandmother was born lived there until she was almost 90.  Mobile was actually where Mardi Gras restarted after the Civil War.  Long story short, the cajun influence in the way my family eats is present - gumbo, tobasco, etc.  No, we didn't eat boudin and cracklin's.  I love cajun food.  Business trips to Lafayette and Ville Platte are my favorite.  A cold frosty pitcher of beer, a good cajun buffet will all-you-can-eat crawfish, and I'm in heaven.

Anyhow, after Katrina, many residents, including some great cooks, relocated to Middle Tennessee.  One of those cooks has opened a restaurant called Papa Boudreaux's in Fly, TN.  Yes, Fly, TN.  If you've ever been to Fly, I think it's because it's like a fly speck on the map.  It's a great place for bicycling, and supposed to be a great place for eating.  We're gonna give it a try tonight and I'll continue this over the weekend.

UPDATE:  It was really good, charming, not fancy by any means.  If it's a busy night and the weather is bad, go another night.  The waiting area is the parking lot. 

Food is family style so everyone has to decide on something.  My favorite was catfish with some kind of dill cajun sauce over pasta.  It's making me hungry just thinking about it. 

Another thing that was funny was the owner sat outside and drank wine with the people waiting.  He's a pretty funny guy. 

Everyone gets to know each other.  The dining room is small and everyone is kinda elbow to elbow.  Plenty of conversations occur based on "what are you eating over there?" between folks that were previously strangers.

Long story short, it's a fun place to go eat.  Give it a try.

If anyone knows me very well, I'm big on ethnic food, and Korean in particular is a strong favorite. Why Korean? First, I can get seafood and vegetarian dishes pretty easily, I like spicy food, and of course I really love the mystery of the little side dishes they bring you complimentary right before you get your main dish.

The Seoul Garden is located on the corner of Nolensville and Edmondson Pike, behind the drug store across from Southern Hills Hospital.  Look for the new-ish shopping center behind on the left just after turning onto Edmondson.

I've only been for lunch, though I'll bet dinner is pretty nice.  They have a lunch menu, but I usually order off the main section, where there are lots of tantalizing pictures of their dishes.  Don't expect hamburgers and fries - this is some serious Asian stuff.

The atmosphere is pretty nice because it's new.  On one side, the tables have a built-in grill, with vent hoods right over the table.  It would be fun to have dinner with friends and try to figure out what that's about!  The interior is professionally decorated, and everything is new.  It all has a chain feel, though I don't think it's a chain.   But, it sure has a feel to it like one.  By the way, the health score is (I think) a 97!  That beats the he11 out of a lot of your regular 'American' restaurants. 

The food - pretty dang good.   I usually get the Seafood Bimbimbap in the hot stone bowl.  Newbies be careful - those bowls are so hot that the rice is actually frying in this thick hot bowl.  Put some of the chili sauce on top, then break up the egg and stir it all together.  Switch to the chopsticks and enjoy. 

I've also had the tofu appetizer.  It has a great flavor if you like garlic.  Only thing is the tofu isn't always drained well.  Also, make sure whoever you're dining with likes tofu, because they serve a lot for a little money.

Finally, I've had the seafood mushroom soup.  Man, again, the soup comes out boiling - be careful.  I order it medium spicy, but it's usually not hot enough for me.  With all the little side dishes and a bowl of rice, it's more than any one person needs to eat, and it's loaded with all kinds of seafood.

My recommendation - go enjoy the place, and bring an open mind.  If you're already an adventurous eater, you're gonna love it.

A professional article with photos HERE!

Man, do I love Asian food! This article will explore some of my favorites in Nashville. If you like Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese or Korean, these are some of my favorites around Nashville, TN.