Suzy's Patio

Suzy Wong's House of Yum
1515 Church Street
Nashville, TN
615-329-2913

the patio

I have been to Suzy Wong's House of Yum many times to eat over the past 9 months or so, and I have not found the food to be all that good. But, I don't believe this place is about great preparation of food. Suzy Wong's House of Yum is about one of the best outdoor patios in Nashville with the capacity of about 75 people. This place is about a late night menu after the bars close, and getting some fun finger foods to help sop up the one-to-many before calling the cab to take ya home. It is about a place to trick your mind into believing that you are actually cooler than you really are. The patio just makes me think of the trendy South Beach bars and bar cabanas I have been to. The design is really very cool. Every time I step into Suzy Wong's House of Yum, in my mind, I get transformed from a fashionless middle-aged engineering geek, to convertible driving, halter-top mini-dress wearing, great hair day, perfect make-up, strappy-shoe young woman who is deciding on which Bombay Sapphire drink would be the the perfect accessory to the already stellar package. It is definitely a Cinderella type of feeling. Then when I leave and have to cross Church St to get to my car, I look down I see my boring geek uniform of a plain black suit skirt, plain black shoes, a plain shirt, and 10 year old sedan keys. This is why I keep going back to Suzy Wong's House of Yum, to suspend time and place, and go where I am the coolest thing that ever lived.

snacks

I like the concept of the food here where it is more about a dim sum or tapas portion for most of the dishes. There are steamed dumplings, fried dumplings, chicken wings, ribs, salads, and soups all between $3 - $11. It is possible to mix and match 4 dishes for $20 and have plenty of food. There are rice and noodle bowls for about $10 each for those who don't like the dim sum and tapas concept, and need to have a "big meal". Everything that I have had here has been over the top with flavoring, like too much salt, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, except for the crockpot chicken seemingly made with only ghee and plain rice, and the peanut sauce noodles. In my mind, there can never be enough of Arnold's peanut sauce. If there is a dish at Suzy Wong's House of Yum that has a dipping sauce, I am asking for the peanut sauce. At PM, it is the same thing, I order the peanut sauce fondue, and an extra peanut sauce to dip my entree. But, Suzy's is not really about the food, it is about cool factor, the patio, and the drinks. It is about bringing a bunch of friends with you to sit in uber cool patio to chat, laugh, drink and have snacks. For me, it is about transforming into the super cool South Beach chick, even if it is just for a moment in time.

By now, you already know that Arnold Myint, chef/owner of PM, Cha Chah's and Suzy Wong's House of Yum, has been on Top Chef Season 7, to begin airing on Bravo TV on June 16 9 pm central. I can't wait to see how it plays out, and of course, I hope Arnold wins! Break a leg Arnold! I am cheering for you and your peanut sauce! And, the super cool South Beach Me may be cheering for you at Suzy's every Wednesday night!