Ella’s by Christian Petroni — Restaurant in Nashville-Davidson

We went to Ella's last night for dinner. The restaurant had plenty of seating, a nice bar area & outdoor dining area. The inside was quite noisy, though. Our server was Matt & he was personable. I told Matt that I can't have nuts/seeds due to a medical condition & he said that there was only one thing that had hazelnuts so I should be good. Not true because a dish did have pistachios. More on this to come. Our table of 4 started with wine & cocktails then shared a starter, the fig & prosciutto pizza. This was the best dish! The crust was the perfect Neopolitan style, thin with air pockets & a good char. Very good! I ordered the Caesar salad. Generous in size in a too small bowl, I shared this with my husband. The dressing was tasty but overly thick & it was iceberg lettuce! Seriously? A Caesar is made with romaine. My husband had the pork chop for dinner. It was served cut in pieces, and moist. The potato croquettes were delish; however, the dish was very salty. Our friend couldn't stomach it & left it uneaten. I had the cacio e pepe & it was a perfect al dente. However, this is big, there were whole peppercorns that I didn't discover until I ate a couple bites. This would bring on an attack & possibly to the hospital. I had to fish each out, which was messy & tedious. I asked Matt why he didn't inform me & he said he didn't know that was a seed/nut. I explained it was bigger than a seed & could cause a huge problem. Big fail on his part. Inattentive service as well (we had to get up and actually go ask for water refills) but it got worse after voicing the issues. To be fair, a lady came by and offered to remake my dish, I declined since everyone else was done eating. When we asked for the check, Matt said they were bringing over an array of desserts, which we declined. They did take off the two pork chop dishes since they were so bad & a double charge for a martini was corrected. I was so disappointed with this place. I was embarrassed we took our friends here. Cannot recommend. Thankfully, our next dining experiences are restaurants. I've actually eaten at and love for the rest of our trip, here in Nashville. Hopefully, that will make up for this bad start on our...

Came in today for lunch and had an amazing experience. Warmly welcomed and seated quickly in the bright, beautiful dining room that differs so much from most of the tourist-packed downtown restaurants, especially on a Friday at noon. We started with the Whipped Ricotta which had flavorful honey, herbs, and a bit of spice, and came with delicious rustic grilled bread. We only wish we’d had a bit more bread because there were heaps of ricotta and honey on the plate.

Thankfully, it came in handy (though unnecessary) as a dip for my Chicken Milanese entree which was perfectly crisp and delicious, bright and lemony, and covered in a lovely fresh salad of arugula, thinly sliced apple, and tomatoes that tasted straight from the garden. The chef balances textures and flavors so well. My dining companion enjoyed his Turkey Club, again on perfectly toasted bread, with avocado—but the standout of the sandwich was the layers of prosciutto that definitely set it apart from a typical club. Portions were huge and more than worth the cost. When presenting the dessert menu, our waiter even joked that the Italian Coconut Pecan Cake with salted caramel gelato was “comically large” and great for sharing. We wrapped up a great meal by splitting this dessert, which lived up to the description and was exceptionally good—the gelato especially.

Despite the large portions and three courses, we left content and not uncomfortably full. Overall, such a great experience—-from service throughout, to food and presentation, to ambience. Will definitely return to Ella’s and so happy to have found a spot close to our office for a memorable lunch with fresh, California-inspired ingredients and a wonderful,...

Starting with the starters, the Eggplant Parm, though Neapolitan style, didn't quite hit the mark for me with its heavy breading. However, the Baby Arugula Salad was a bright spot – crisp, vibrant, and adorned with a generous mountain of parmesan.

Moving on to the entrees, the Black Truffle Risotto with added shrimp offered a tasty twist on a classic. Topped with breadcrumbs, it added a delightful crunch and character to the dish, though the shrimp were on the smaller side. Yet, the star of the show was undoubtedly the Salmon Picatta – cooked to absolute perfection with a sauce that was truly divine.

Now onto dessert – the Chocolate Budino was a decadent delight, akin to a thicker chocolate mousse, perfectly complemented by the raspberry sauce. But the real surprise was the Panna Cotta, served in a ramekin and topped with white chocolate and hazelnuts, offering a delightful departure from the usual gelatinous texture. And let's not forget the Italian Coconut & Pecan Crème Cake – moist and delicious, albeit a tad heavy on the caramel.

The dining experience was nothing short of amazing, with attentive staff who took great care of us, including our exceptional server who ensured our experience was top-notch.

In conclusion, my opinion has shifted – I'm now eager to return to Ella’s for another culinary adventure. With its tantalizing dishes and impeccable service, it's a dining destination...