A Glimpse of Mirror's New Menu

Down at the south end of 12 South, Mirror's menu is changing with the neighborhood. Now eight years established and a full-fledged neighborhood eatery, Mirror is migrating from tapas and small plates to reinvented comfort food, says chef Michael DeGregory.
Hard day at work? Terrible traffic? How about an open-face meatloaf sandwich with chipotle sauce and fries? Or fish (usually wolf fish or grouper) in tempura beer batter with roasted potato wedges and horseradish? Smoked braised ribs are served with corn pudding and cilantro-spiked slaw in honey-lime vinaigrette. Two big chicken tacos are made with succulent thigh meat.
For the kind of easy eating Nashvillians love, DeGregory added a selection of sandwiches: a veggie burger, the sloppy Jose, and the rare-grilled tuna sandwich with house-cured pickles and truffled chips. And to prove they’re real Nashvillians now, DeGregory added to the menu an iceberg wedge with blue cheese.
Mirror
2317 12th Avenue South
383-8330




Comments
Oooh, that is not good. Not good news at all. I really liked Mirror's tapas menu. Very veg-friendly. I hate going to places where I have a choice of a mediocre salad and a veggie burger (though it beats having no choices at all).
Posted 09/09/2008 at 01:10:01 PMI loved the tapas at Mirror and there are a ton of places to get comfort foods (reinvented or otherwise) in this town. I don't think I've ever been to Mirror when it's not busy, why mess with a good thing?
Posted 09/09/2008 at 01:43:06 PMI agree with previous posters. I just went to Mirror 2-3 weeks ago. I love the tapas menu, and when I go, I usually eat vegetarian as well. I'll still give the new menu a chance, though not anytime soon.
Posted 09/09/2008 at 02:09:29 PMSo help me god, if the blue cheese polenta fries are gone, some one may have to die!
Posted 09/09/2008 at 02:17:13 PMWhat about smoking? Is that still on the menu? They posted a sign saying they were 21+ to keep smoking, which meant I was never going back. Terrible decision...
Posted 09/09/2008 at 02:21:28 PMTo the owners of Mirror:
Everytime I get my hair done at Trim, I walk by Mirror. I get tempted to go in, exept for one thing:
EVERYTHING FROM A STREET LEVEL LOOKS F-ING FILTHY!!
The booths with spider webs, the ash - laden window sill, the cigs on the floor, the dirty windows and door (with a name like "Mirror" I'm sure you have a bottle of Windex laying around), even the menu hanging in the window is dirty!
Don't think for a second people don't notice these things and wonder what your kitchen looks like...
Posted 09/09/2008 at 02:42:52 PMNo "the." Just "Mirror." Mirror.
Mirror.
Anyway, I can make meatloaf sandwiches at home, so that's a bummer. But now at least I don't have to listen to that bartender yammer incessantly.
Posted 09/09/2008 at 02:49:19 PMIf by "that bartender" you mean Stephanie, I have to strongly disagree. She's said some of the funniest shit I've ever heard, and is one of the main draws for me.
Posted 09/09/2008 at 03:32:43 PMI'm deleting "The" from the headline on this posting. Nice catch.
Posted 09/09/2008 at 03:50:03 PMyeah, Stephanie's cool!
Posted 09/09/2008 at 04:34:25 PMMirror's smoking rule is a deal breaker. Last week, when my vegetarian friends came to town with their baby, we were not allowed in with the little one! I (barely) tolerated the smokers before but now tapas-free?! I'll cross it completely off my list.
Posted 09/09/2008 at 04:51:25 PMTo clarify a point that I should have made in the main posting: many of Mirror's tapas are staying on the menu but the format of both menu and plate are changing. The portion sizes will be larger and they'll be called Appetizers. So frabjous day! The good stuff will stay!
Posted 09/09/2008 at 08:33:24 PMOh, I love Mirror and have been on board since the beginning, even when they showed movies on Mondays on a bedsheet. I just want it to be about ME when I go there, and sometimes it's not if I sit at the bar. I get a lot of entertainment, but I didn't really come for the show. You know? Eh, whatever. I don't want to start a fight about it.
Posted 09/09/2008 at 10:31:21 PMI wish I'd known before this weekend. I went for my birthday dinner, and was really excited for tapas.
Posted 09/09/2008 at 11:27:37 PMMirror is one of those endearing lovely spots that is locally owned and has a local flavor...so I love it for what Chef Degregory created to start with and I'm sure what he is bringing to us next will be yummy...let's don't throw him under the bus yet...he's talented, so I look forward to checking it out! I did see they've redone the patio too--looks a bit more inviting than it used to--wasn't a fan of the cricket-y chairs on slab of concrete. Oh, and as long as they will stuff blue cheese in an olive for my martini's, I'm there.
Posted 09/10/2008 at 04:55:29 AMI'm distraught. I can't help it. I love Mirror's tapas. My stomach hurts just thinking about it.
Posted 09/10/2008 at 09:17:28 AMBut how will the prices be?
I probably sound like a broken record to those who know me, but with comfort foods and sandwiches on the new Mirror menu, I'll probably just stay across the street at the Taproom. Heck, the Taproom's even getting a liquor license from what I hear, so Mirror doesn't even have that going.
Posted 09/10/2008 at 11:53:39 AMalwayshungryab...I've had decent meals at the Taproom, but nothing to match Mirror's food. the day the Taproom's comfort food matches Mirror, I'll go there.
And Barbara Please, it's not a fight. It's called a discussion. I was merely expressing my viewpoint. Is that a problem? Should your view be the only one expressed here?
Posted 09/10/2008 at 12:54:49 PMTotally agreed; I was actually trying to back down from sounding like I was trying to start anything because I really do like Mirror.
Posted 09/10/2008 at 01:31:32 PMSo the Taproom is staying put?
Posted 09/11/2008 at 09:11:21 AMAlways Hungry has has the 4-1-1 on what's going on at that end of 12th South. I love the Taproom -- watched the Tour de France there this year. Here's her post on the taproom's salvation from the wrecking ball:
Posted 09/11/2008 at 10:13:32 AMhttp://iwillalwayshavefoodtoday.wordpress.com/2008/08/20/the-taproom-lives/
Jack...I'm probably watching my dollars a little more than you on the Mirror/Taproom debate. Unfortunately it has to matter. But don't think I don't pass Mirror without a sigh of longing most days on the way home from work.
Posted 09/11/2008 at 06:31:29 PMTaproom is staying put for now. The developers on the proposed building ran out of time, so Will got to keep the good faith money and will use it on some sprucing up..but I believe the ultimate plan is to relocated in the Paris building. Just sayin'
Posted 09/11/2008 at 11:36:42 PMSeveral years ago, during an edit "meeting" at Mirror, I was a witness to the time Kay went to the bar and ordered a drink called a Blowjob. All conversation in the room ceased.
Posted 09/12/2008 at 08:29:03 AMJim Jim Jim. I'm so disappointed in you. You left out the part where I performend the perfect execution of the proper way to execute the Blowjob. It literally caused Adam the Intern to leave the restaurant and removed himself and his discomfort to the sidewalk. It was a moment of pride exceeded only by blistering the other contestants in the Sake Bomb competition at Ru Sans by slamming my empty glass on the bar first. Hmmm, maybe I should challenge candidate Palin to a Blow Job and Sake Bomb runoff?
Posted 09/12/2008 at 05:11:26 PMOh, I remember it well—as does every other goggle-eyed male who was present. (The climactic licking of the lips was the coup de grace.) There are probably folk songs about you somewhere. As for you and Palin, I'll start charging the video camera.
Posted 09/12/2008 at 05:17:37 PM