Restaurants in Hendersonville

Sleek light fixtures dangle from Kohana Japanese Restaurant's ceiling and subtly illuminate a tidily minimal fleet of indigo and white chairs, booths abutting wavy-lined wall paneling, and plates featuring eats carefully crafted and presented by the chefs. Sharply dressed in the only two colors that can be worn together, black and white, servers march out with precisely sliced sections of signature dishes such as the Phoenix specialty roll, which combines spicy tuna, snow crab, and avocado with a multifaceted dressing. Non-sushi selections, such as crunchy shrimp tempura and baked salmon with eel sauce, also pair well with Kohana's selection of wine, beer, and sake.

At Woody’s Steak House, chefs roast prime rib for four hours, carve the succulent cuts to order, and ladle them with house au jus. The sumptuous entree is one of the reasons Woody’s Steak House has remained a neighborhood bastion for more than 40 years. Other entrees reflect a similar attention to detail, from the aged-in-house filet mignon to the pecan-smoked ribs. Meaty morsels pair with an ample wine list and, on Wednesdays, the soft melodies of piano music and murmured reminders to chew 27 times before swallowing.

The pan-Asian stylings of Fulin's Asian Cuisine Chef Lin have earned the eatery a place on the 2010 Best of Citysearch list. Votes from diners also helped land the shop Toast of Music City Awards’ Best Chinese title for three years running.

In the kitchen, breaded shrimp sizzles in the fryer as chefs stir bowls of sweet-and-spicy general tso's sauce. The sunset red of smoked salmon stands out against the lighter rose color of spicy tuna tucked inside cylindrical maki rolls. Behind the bar, bartenders craft cocktails, the ice jingling festively like a knight trying to figure out which pocket his keys are in.

Fifty-year-old performance footage imparts a flickering glow over a single brave waitress, who alights a miniature version of the Grand Ole Opry's circular stage to sing a classic country ballad. Opry Backstage Grill seeks to capture the spirit of the storied country venue in every aspect, from its memorabilia-speckled interior to recipes culled from the traditions and musicians that have graced the mecca's illustrious wings. Local, sustainable meats sizzle over smoky Tennessee hickory to craft barbecue plates anointed in one of three house-made sauces, while Southern-inspired morsels of catfish, shrimp and grits, and fried green tomatoes fill mouths with more nostalgia than a postcard from their estranged baby teeth.

A big pink pig hovers above Fat Boys Bar-B-Q, intent on its job of catching the eyes of all who drive by on Murfreesboro. Beneath his porcine gaze, cooks brush racks of ribs with zesty sauce, pull pork and chicken for sandwiches and platters, and slow smoke beef brisket. Sides of house-made potato salad, corn bread, and fried okra accompany plates of catfish, sauce-covered rib tips, and brisket quesadillas. To ensure that no freezer ever goes hungry, Fat Boys Bar-B-Q makes its meats available by the pound.

John "Chappy" Chapman watched his mother cook for their family while growing up in Alabama and New Orleans. Her techniques inspired him to open Chappy's Seafood Restaurant in 1984 and serve family-style creole cuisine. When Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast in 2005, it destroyed his restaurant and his home. Chapman hauled the spirit of creole cuisine to Nashville, opening Chappy's on Church. At the new establishment, red beans and rice, jambalaya with andouille sausage, and crayfish étouffée sizzle with as much spice as ever.

"In New Orleans, we live to eat," says Chapman. Inside the restaurant, he's cultivated an Old World atmosphere ideal for dining slowly and relishing every bite. A refinished wooden bar brings its hand-carved reliefs all the way from Belgium, leaving a bar-shaped hole in Belgium's heart. Century-old stained-glass panels and matching lamps were salvaged from a cathedral in Indiana. Bright paintings adorn every wall but one, where Chapman has hung a photograph of the original Chappy's Seafood Restaurant, surrounded by oak trees in the sunlight.