Fast, easy, casual—the trademarks of any restaurant looking to make it big near a college campus. Jasper’s, located on West End next to Amerigo and The Graduate Hotel, fits the bill on all three. Open Sunday through Wednesday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Thursday through Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., this restaurant/bar combo is perfect for everything from light brunch cravings to much-needed late night snacking.
Upon entering Jasper’s, diners are welcomed by a classy bar layout with many comfortable booth seating areas. Off in the corner is Jasper’s Market, a small boutique-like grocer with treats and to-go meals made in-house, charcuterie board essentials and fun, Nashville-themed nicknacks. The ambiance is bright and lively with plenty of sports T.V.’s to go around. There is also a private game room available to rent with games such as shuffleboard and darts. The staff were beyond welcoming, offering us plenty of time to look at the menu and get details on every dish.
We started with the Caulipoppers: tempura cauliflower with pea pesto, feta cream and red bell dip. The appetizer size was perfect to share for a group of four as a light and savory dish. The sauces matched the dish well, and the crunch was perfect.
Next, we ordered the Potsticker Salad which consisted of veggie dumplings with wasabi aioli and a mushroom, avocado, carrot and herb mix with sweet asian chili vinaigrette. It was perfectly filling without being too heavy. The various Asian influenced sauces and ingredients complimented each other well, and the dumplings were rich with flavor.
The Creole Roll featured Louisiana crawfish and shrimp on potato bread with creole mayo. It was well balanced, with the sweet roll contrasting well with the salty, creamy seafood. To complement it, we tried the Lonestar Cowboy Chicken, which consisted of fried chicken on a brioche bun with green tomato, apple mayo and red slaw. It totally passed the Nashville fried chicken quality test. It had the crunch, the juiciness and the flavor of the iconic plate, making it a strong contender on our mental fried chicken bracket.
Finally, we all enjoyed too many sweet potato BBQ fries which were loaded with pulled pork and pickled onions. They were hot out of the fryer with well-paired toppings and not too messy to share.
We were recommended the cupcakes from Jasper’s Market or the lemon curd cheesecake if you’re needing to fulfill your sweet tooth at the end of your meal, but after our assortment of entrees we had to call it a night.
Overall, we highly recommend Jasper’s for your next girls night out or date night. The atmosphere is bright and airy and the food fits Nashville standards. The servers were also beyond kind and attentive, helping to make our experience as enjoyable as possible. It is a bit pricey, however, so I would recommend going and splitting the bill with friends. Make a reservation and hit Jasper’s before it’s the talk of the town.
