When you’re in search of a chef-inspired place for lunch and a quiet spot to get pleasure from dialog with a companion, The Curious Kitchen Cafe has the reply. It is downtown Murfreesboro’s hidden gem.
Owned and operated by Helena Spensatelli and her daughter, Rachel Spensatelli, The Curious Kitchen is a block off Maney Avenue at 327 E. State St. Hours are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday via Friday.
The culinary duo purchased the one-time warehouse for The Curious Kitchen on the daybreak of a pandemic. However this gave them loads of time to rework the commercial inside right into a leisure culinary college and small cafe to go well with their specs. There’s even a backyard the place they harvest herbs and veggies for the restaurant.
Keep in mind these cute tea room-style eating places widespread within the Nineteen Eighties and ’90s? This harkens to these days.
It is quaint, brightly lit — and you may really hear a dialog with out voices echoing from excessive ceilings and loud music blaring. As somebody who spent manner an excessive amount of time standing in entrance of live performance audio system, clearly listening to others converse with out distractions makes my eating expertise extra palatable.
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A tasty menu helps please the palate, too.
You may discover a scratch-made menu that’s recent, hearty and even heart-healthy, providing a number of soups, sandwiches, wraps, quiche, greens and candy treats.
My companion and I sampled a cross-section of the menu, which boasts day by day specials. Whether or not you are a vegan, like my lunch date, or a meat eater, there’s one thing for you.
On the menu
Our meal began with soups. That day featured carrot-tarragon and a tomato-basil. They have been so creamy and flavorful, with out tasting such as you’d eaten a liquified backyard. Each have been vegan pleasant.
My buddy had a rainbow salad, comprised of combined greens topped with pecans, applies, dried cranberries, crimson onion and feta cheese with a aspect of house-made French dressing. It was the right mix of tart, candy and and savory. You’ll be able to add grilled rooster for an upcharge.
I ordered the ham and cheese quiche. The savory egg-based dish was simply the appropriate consistency — not over- or undercooked — and the crust was flaky.
A vegetarian choice we selected was the Malibu wrap, a nod to the house owners’ Southern California roots. Avocado, cheddar, cucumber slices, shredded carrots, sprouts with mayo was wrapped in an enormous delicate tortilla. Facet merchandise was bean and corn salad. Different selections embrace mac-and-cheese, rice pilaf with feta and recent fruit.
After all, we wished to get a sampling of your complete menu. So we did not miss dessert. I had a pleasant strawberry-lemon cupcake that I might have eaten a dozen of, and a chocolate chip cookie as large as my hand served recent out of the oven .
My buddy and I like to search for new locations, however this place goes to be a mainstay for our lunch dates. She discovered one thing to go well with her health-conscious vegan life-style and her meat-eating buddy (that is me) was happy with the alternatives. Plus, you’ll be able to dine with out breaking the financial institution. Meals vary from $9 to $12.
As soon as you have sampled the menu, try the culinary lessons at TheCuriousKitchen.net. There are seafood, sushi, Italian, Asian, brunch, cake adorning, youngsters’ camps and lessons, date nights, ladies night time out and even non-public events. When you do not see one which fits your tastes, the can craft a category for you.
Attain reporter Nancy DeGennaro at degennaro@dnj.com. Sustain with restaurant information by becoming a member of Good Eats in the ‘Boro (and beyond) on Facebook and comply with Murfreesboro Eats on TikTok.
