If by "Something Special" you mean, you don't pass thru Green Hills, want home cooked food to go and are okay spending Whole Foods kind of cash to get your meal on the go, then this is your place. This small store front is hidden behind the Sherwin Williams paint store at the Highway 70 and 100 Junction and is populated almost exclusively by the ladies who lunch but don't cook grabbing $100 worth of precooked food for a family. You'll get a good selection of healthy and not so healthy options here from fried chicken, beef tenderloin, mini sliders, salmon and other fish and many veggies prepared in tasty and not overwhelming sauces. Given a choice between the food here and Whole Foods, Something Special absolutely tastes way the heck better. They, however, have no desire to pamper those with gluten allergies and what not. Calories be damned...this is your place. There is no sign of anything 'grass fed or organic' so don't think of this as premade Whole Foods on the West Side. More like slightly healthier and a lot more expensive than take out from a restaurant like Bricktops or J Alexander. The food warrents 4 stars, prices 3 stars and the fact they are so dang unwilling to mark how much things cost before your jaw drops at the cash register will bring us back to a solid 3 star rating.
(3)
Alvin P.
I don't think it's worth it. I went to the post office right across from this place and decided to check it out on a whim. And it was disappointing. They have a decent amount of parking, but the store is somewhat hidden from either Highway 70 or 100. I've seen the place each time I go to the USPS, so I figured it might be a good time to see what it was. The people behind the counter seemed OK. It wasn't obnoxiously bad or anything, but they also didn't seem to have much of the southern hospitality here. I told the lady I was just looking at first (since there was no menu, and it's set up in a deli style) and she seemed somewhat upset and apathetic. By the time I was ready to order, she wouldn't even look at me, and decided to just take the order from the guy behind me. Although the second lady working there seemed a bit more friendly. They don't have much options for vegetarians, no veggie sandwich or panini, so I decided to try small box's of four different things. First, I got stuffed potatoes, and this one tasted almost entirely bland. I'm not sure if they stuffed the potato with more potato, but I didn't taste anything inside of it that wasn't potato. I also go roasted cauliflower, another one that was extremely bland. Infact, having made roasted cauliflower at home before, this was disappointing because it's not hard to make this dish taste good. I got a small batch of lime basil pasta, and it tasted like someone cooked pasta and then squeezed lemon concentrate all over it. I love pasta, and I didn't even want to finish the dish. I also got two stuffed eggs, which were actually decent. I just don't think it's anything special, and the portions are pretty small. And they are definitely expensive. I don't mind paying money for food that tastes good, but when the portions are small, the food tastes bland, the price is expensive, and the service wasn't good, then it's not worth it for me.
(1)
Loretta B.
Went in to get just one treat for a ill friend. There were at least 6 people working behind the counter but nobody seemed to be alert enough to check me out. I just left the tart on the counter and walked out when nobody seemed to want to help me. The bad part for them was I had planned to come back and get dinner for my family after visiting my ill friend. Since it was so hard to buy one tart I figured buying an entire dinner would have been near impossible.
(1)
Katie I.
Ok ok...so their food is pretty good and we know it's expensive. HOWEVER, the last time I went in there I got 4 chicken kabobs. That means about 3-4 large pieces of chicken on one skewer with a few veggies. Guess how much???? $50! That means $12.50 a SKEWER?!!! Really? I also got two tiny sides and spent almost $80. I could've gone to a number of delicious restaurants and fed my entire family with appetizers and desserts and still wouldn't have spent that much. This time it just took the cake. And guess what? The chicken wasn't even cooked fully! DONE DONE DONE with this place. No matter how lazy I'm feeling for dinner one night, it's just not worth it.
(1)
BJ S.
I second that "Something Expensive" name. I kept passing by Something Special as I went down Highway 70 to and from Nashville from Bellevue. I love a good takeout place, so I finally made a point of stopping in when I had a family dinner coming up. I have to admit that I had a moment of sticker shock at the register when I paid. Then again, I do not mind paying for quality, especially for a special-occasion family dinner. Well, I have to tell you, Tart L.'s name for the place could be expanded into "Something Expensive, Something Bland." I would have been happier with something borrowed and blue. The food was good quality, don't get me wrong. The chicken was beautiful and crisp. However, it was completely bland. Everything was completely bland. It seems such a waste of effort to produce food that looks so good, and yet pales on the palate. My entire family agreed. Even the Colonel used (or claimed to use) 7 herbs and spices, folks. It is not a Southern thing to create bland food. However, this does seem to be a recurring problem with Belle Meadeans. More than once, I have gotten rave recommendations about restaurants from locals, only to find another high-priced "Palace of Bland." Maybe it is a comfort food thing. No shocking garlic. No sharp herbs. No mystifying spices. Just nice, bland goodness that costs enough over the norm to make you feel that you are eating "Something Special." I am mystified at the place's popularity.
(2)
Jordan K.
I just called to ask about their hours. The owner answered, and trying to pay a compliment I told her that a friend recommended I check them out. Having never heard of the place I asked if they were new. She yelled into the phone "we've been here for 30 years" and hung up the phone on me. Apparently they're not concerned about finding new business.
(1)
Tart L.
"Something Expensive" could be another name for this takeout food service. Box lunches range from $15 to $24. You may also choose quantities of individual items. If it's top quality you want and price is no object, this is your place. The Belle Meade bourgeoisie and Bellevue neighbors wanting a premium splurge have loved this place for decades. They also cater society events.
BethAnn S.
If by "Something Special" you mean, you don't pass thru Green Hills, want home cooked food to go and are okay spending Whole Foods kind of cash to get your meal on the go, then this is your place. This small store front is hidden behind the Sherwin Williams paint store at the Highway 70 and 100 Junction and is populated almost exclusively by the ladies who lunch but don't cook grabbing $100 worth of precooked food for a family. You'll get a good selection of healthy and not so healthy options here from fried chicken, beef tenderloin, mini sliders, salmon and other fish and many veggies prepared in tasty and not overwhelming sauces. Given a choice between the food here and Whole Foods, Something Special absolutely tastes way the heck better. They, however, have no desire to pamper those with gluten allergies and what not. Calories be damned...this is your place. There is no sign of anything 'grass fed or organic' so don't think of this as premade Whole Foods on the West Side. More like slightly healthier and a lot more expensive than take out from a restaurant like Bricktops or J Alexander. The food warrents 4 stars, prices 3 stars and the fact they are so dang unwilling to mark how much things cost before your jaw drops at the cash register will bring us back to a solid 3 star rating.
(3)Alvin P.
I don't think it's worth it. I went to the post office right across from this place and decided to check it out on a whim. And it was disappointing. They have a decent amount of parking, but the store is somewhat hidden from either Highway 70 or 100. I've seen the place each time I go to the USPS, so I figured it might be a good time to see what it was. The people behind the counter seemed OK. It wasn't obnoxiously bad or anything, but they also didn't seem to have much of the southern hospitality here. I told the lady I was just looking at first (since there was no menu, and it's set up in a deli style) and she seemed somewhat upset and apathetic. By the time I was ready to order, she wouldn't even look at me, and decided to just take the order from the guy behind me. Although the second lady working there seemed a bit more friendly. They don't have much options for vegetarians, no veggie sandwich or panini, so I decided to try small box's of four different things. First, I got stuffed potatoes, and this one tasted almost entirely bland. I'm not sure if they stuffed the potato with more potato, but I didn't taste anything inside of it that wasn't potato. I also go roasted cauliflower, another one that was extremely bland. Infact, having made roasted cauliflower at home before, this was disappointing because it's not hard to make this dish taste good. I got a small batch of lime basil pasta, and it tasted like someone cooked pasta and then squeezed lemon concentrate all over it. I love pasta, and I didn't even want to finish the dish. I also got two stuffed eggs, which were actually decent. I just don't think it's anything special, and the portions are pretty small. And they are definitely expensive. I don't mind paying money for food that tastes good, but when the portions are small, the food tastes bland, the price is expensive, and the service wasn't good, then it's not worth it for me.
(1)Loretta B.
Went in to get just one treat for a ill friend. There were at least 6 people working behind the counter but nobody seemed to be alert enough to check me out. I just left the tart on the counter and walked out when nobody seemed to want to help me. The bad part for them was I had planned to come back and get dinner for my family after visiting my ill friend. Since it was so hard to buy one tart I figured buying an entire dinner would have been near impossible.
(1)Katie I.
Ok ok...so their food is pretty good and we know it's expensive. HOWEVER, the last time I went in there I got 4 chicken kabobs. That means about 3-4 large pieces of chicken on one skewer with a few veggies. Guess how much???? $50! That means $12.50 a SKEWER?!!! Really? I also got two tiny sides and spent almost $80. I could've gone to a number of delicious restaurants and fed my entire family with appetizers and desserts and still wouldn't have spent that much. This time it just took the cake. And guess what? The chicken wasn't even cooked fully! DONE DONE DONE with this place. No matter how lazy I'm feeling for dinner one night, it's just not worth it.
(1)BJ S.
I second that "Something Expensive" name. I kept passing by Something Special as I went down Highway 70 to and from Nashville from Bellevue. I love a good takeout place, so I finally made a point of stopping in when I had a family dinner coming up. I have to admit that I had a moment of sticker shock at the register when I paid. Then again, I do not mind paying for quality, especially for a special-occasion family dinner. Well, I have to tell you, Tart L.'s name for the place could be expanded into "Something Expensive, Something Bland." I would have been happier with something borrowed and blue. The food was good quality, don't get me wrong. The chicken was beautiful and crisp. However, it was completely bland. Everything was completely bland. It seems such a waste of effort to produce food that looks so good, and yet pales on the palate. My entire family agreed. Even the Colonel used (or claimed to use) 7 herbs and spices, folks. It is not a Southern thing to create bland food. However, this does seem to be a recurring problem with Belle Meadeans. More than once, I have gotten rave recommendations about restaurants from locals, only to find another high-priced "Palace of Bland." Maybe it is a comfort food thing. No shocking garlic. No sharp herbs. No mystifying spices. Just nice, bland goodness that costs enough over the norm to make you feel that you are eating "Something Special." I am mystified at the place's popularity.
(2)Jordan K.
I just called to ask about their hours. The owner answered, and trying to pay a compliment I told her that a friend recommended I check them out. Having never heard of the place I asked if they were new. She yelled into the phone "we've been here for 30 years" and hung up the phone on me. Apparently they're not concerned about finding new business.
(1)Tart L.
"Something Expensive" could be another name for this takeout food service. Box lunches range from $15 to $24. You may also choose quantities of individual items. If it's top quality you want and price is no object, this is your place. The Belle Meade bourgeoisie and Bellevue neighbors wanting a premium splurge have loved this place for decades. They also cater society events.
(4)