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.

Inside a cheerful restaurant decorated with yellow walls and streamers, culinary wunderkinds dish up traditional Mexican–style enchiladas, burritos, and fajitas. Green sauce, sour cream, and salsa drizzles over three types of enchiladas, and eight different burritos encase protein-packed mouthfuls of chicken, grilled steak, pork tips, and beans. Traditional desserts such as churros and fried ice cream celebrate the marriage of crispiness and sweetness, much like a deep-fried love letter. Barkeeps also pour imported beers, blend monster margaritas, and expound on the virtues, vices, and variances of more than a dozen tequilas stashed in their well-equipped watering hole.

Executive chef Vito Randazzo, a veteran of the kitchens of Café 123 and his father's restaurant, Caesar's, crafts classic Italian dishes splashed with wine sauces or marinara. Brick-oven pizzas and crumbly cheesecake desserts fill out a menu that was praised as "well-rounded, well-executed" in a Nashville Scene review (http://gr.pn/Ad7pmA). Around the dining room, black tablecloths support plates of elegantly arranged pasta, and walls host paintings by local artist Anna Ray depicting colorful pastoral settings.