Food

Food  RESTAURANT

From left: Turkey and goat cheese wrap in a spinach tortilla, chicken salad on a croissant

Right, clockwise: Club sandwich, crunch bar, Oreo cake

Seat at the Table Local restaurant, coffeehouse, catering company extends an Olive Branch to the hungry

STORY BY BRACKEN MAYO PHOTOS BY SARAH MAYO

Tasty Table and Olive Branch Bakery took over a historic building on Church Street in early 2019 and now offers delicious, colorful and fresh breakfast and lunch options four days a week, and runs its catering operation out of there.

For the busy local professional who wants to shop local, quick lunch options can sometimes be limited. Tasty Table and Olive Branch Bakery has pre-made sandwiches, wraps and salads ready to go in the cooler. Individually prepared by an independent local business, these can make nutritious, quick lunch alternatives to sometimes greasy fast-food drive-thru fare.

Those fine selections may include the turkey and goat cheese wrap, with spinach and a delicious, sweet and spicy strawberry jalapeño jelly, wrapped in a spinach tortilla.

Tasty Table also serves a creamy chicken salad, available as a sandwich on a croissant, whole wheat, brioche or gluten-free bread.

The adobo chicken wrap, filled with red pepper hummus, adobo seasoned chicken breast, havarti cheese, spinach, avocado and ranch, or the Cashley, stuffed with ham, pepperoni, horseradish peppercorn spread, Swiss cheese and greens, burst with flavor and nutrients.

The blackberry bacon grilled sandwich makes a popular warm item, containing local blackberry jam, bacon, havarti cheese and jalapeño slices.

“It’s so good!” Lisa Blythe says. “I know it sounds like a strange combination, but the different flavors accent each other perfectly.”

Most sandwiches are $9.50 and come with one side item.

“Everything was super tasty at this table,” another local diner, Angelique Slone, said. “Loved the horseradish Parmesan dip.”

Many of the ladies who enjoy the eatery describe it as “cute”—and it is. Sunlight pours onto the exposed brick walls and hardwood floors of the building, as coffee beans fill glass jars throughout the space and cookies and other baked goods sit on display in the case with everything neat and tidy, creating a modern coffeehouse-meetsSouthern tea room atmosphere. But there’s nothing frou-frou about the wraps and sandwiches. These are manly, meaty and flavorful while still being colorful, creative and balanced with fruits and veggies.

“Great place and great food in an awesome atmosphere,” Kari Spruyt says.

The restaurant has a rotation of daily specials, such as an open-faced roast beef sandwich, and other options.

It also serves breakfast selections—like breakfast casserole, maple French toast bake, quiche, frittata, bacon and eggs or avocado toast—until closing time, at 2 p.m.

“There aren’t many great breakfast options in Murfreesboro, but this place is definitely at the top of the list,” Brian Threet says. “Great food, amazing coffee and the location itself is in a cool old building with a lounge upstairs and a peaceful outdoor courtyard.”

Molly Brown says she is a “huge fan of their breakfast quiche and avocado toast. My favorite lunch items are the turkey goat cheese wrap and the blackberry jam grilled cheese paired with the Tuscan soup,” with her favorite baked item being the blueberry muffin.

With breakfast service going into the afternoon, go brunch with an egg, sausage, bacon and cheddar biscuit sandwich.

The Dish

RESTAURANT: Tasty Table and Olive Branch Bakery

LOCATION: 215 N. Church St., Murfreesboro PHONE: 615-482-0543 HOURS: Wed.–Sat.: 8 a.m.–2 p.m. PRICES: Blackberry bacon grill or chicken salad sandwich with one side: $9.50; Turkey goat cheese, adobo chicken or Cashley wrap: $9.50; Quiche slice: $5.50; Crunch bar: $3.25 Summer salad: $10.50 ONLINE: tastytable.net

STEAK • SEAFOOD • PASTA • WINE • WHISKEY

Catering Available

HAPPY HOUR MON – THURS 4 PM TO 7 PM SAT 11 AM TO 3 PM

223 West Main Street Murfreesboro 615-203-3498 alleyonmain.com

Or have cake for lunch if you want. In addition to decadent cakes, such as Oreo and peanut butter, the Olive Branch Bakery features chocolaty Crunch Bars with marshmallows, crisped rice and fudge, macarons and other treats.

Steering towards vegetables, vegetarian selections include salads, carrots and hummus, mango cucumber slaw and the Three Cheese Grill, blending cheddar, havarti and Swiss cheeses.

Whether a diner desires coffee and cake, avocado toast, a salad, bacon and eggs, a grilled cheese or adobo chicken wrap, enjoy it comfortably downstairs, upstairs or within the outdoor patio area of Tasty Table and Olive Branch Bakery (pets welcome).

Even though “weddings are a little different this year, catering is big for us,” according to Jacqueline Edwards, who runs Olive Branch Bakery, while her business partner, Laura Gossett, operates the Tasty Table restaurant.

The bakery sells custom wedding cakes, and catering possibilities range from roast sirloin, honey barbecue chicken, Tuscan herb chicken, pork tenderloin, Cajun shrimp, fried chicken and smothered pork chops to fajita taco bars, pasta bars, quiche and salad bars and potato bars. Gossett offers a wealth of flavorful marinated chicken options: tomato basil, orange citrus, Mediterranean lemon, rosemary butter and red wine glaze, among others.

“We had a small wedding reception catered by Tasting Table,” Tamara Sullivan said. This included pork tenderloin, Parmesan crusted chicken, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese and roasted veggies. “All the guests raved about the food—loved both meat selections!”

Heather Green also used Tasty Table to cater her wedding recently.

“Walking up to the reception, I could smell how fabulous the food was,” she said. “Everything tasted good and was beautifully presented. The truffle mac and cheese was by far my favorite, but everything was good! I’m happy and all of my guests were happy! I highly recommend them.”

TACOS  BURRITOS – GRILLED CHICKEN – TORTAS AREPAS – CACHAPAS – EMPANADAS  AREPAS – CACHAPAS – EMPANADAS 

SMOOTHIES NOW SERVING 1706 Bradyville Pike • 615 - 890-4184 OPEN DAILY: 10 A.M.–10 P.M. Mobile Unit for Parties, Weddings and Events Catering Available 10% Student Discount Fruit ICE SHAVED

Cocktail and Fresh Squeezed Juices

 From Venezuela Made PABELLON CRIOLLO Daily! Plate with shredded beef, white rice, black beans & fried plantains & BEER! HOT SOUPS Beef Stew, ( Mexican and Chicken Soup and More! American)