The titular duration of Jules Verne's autobiography Around the World in Eighty Days would have been much shorter had he not believed he was pregnant and needed to take frequent snack breaks. Sample the flavors of the world with today's Groupon: for $20, you get $40 worth of gourmet international fare at Back Inn Café.
Back Inn Café's chefs borrow inspiration from a variety of global cuisines when crafting the gourmet plates listed on the restaurant's seasonally changing menu. Start with an assortment of appetizers, such as the fried green tomatoes, served with prosciutto and goat cheese ($10), and the pan-seared sea scallops and charred corn pico de gallo ($12) before taking on entrees. The chefs decorate the ahi tuna with a sesame-seed crust and teriyaki-ginger sauce ($23), rub the new york strip steak with energizing espresso, preparing it for a nap on a fluffy cloud of truffle-whipped mashed potatoes ($24), and stuff the Martin house steak with lump crab ($28). The menu also features a selection of pasta and poultry, with a separate menu showcasing gluten-free and cooked-on-top-of-a-mountain options.
Set in a renovated colonial-revival mansion, Back Inn Café surrounds its guests in rustic charm. Tables are available in the peace and quiet of the library, two luminous sunrooms, and on a terrace overlooking the horses that swim in the Tennessee River.
Back Inn Café
Inside a restored Colonial Revival mansion a stone's throw from the Tennessee River, Chef William Oglesby blends American and international dishes. Classic southern recipes take on worldly flavors, such as fried green tomatoes crowned with prosciutto and herbed goat cheese and sweet potato-crusted shrimp with fennel slaw. Local ingredients star in dishes such as the New York strip steak rubbed with espresso from nearby Rembrandt's Roasting Co and flanked by truffle-infused potatoes. Chef Oglesby and his culinary team also meet unique dietary needs with many gluten-safe options. A terrace overlooking the river, two naturally lit sunrooms, and an intimate library create a romantic atmosphere wherever guests choose to dine.