Setsun to Close, Eastwood Deli to Open
First, the bad news: This week Setsun East’s chef and owner Jason Zygmont announced on Instagram that the restaurant’s last day of service will be January 23.
“I started Setsun nearly two years ago, trying to create the type of restaurant that I wanted to go to. Something I thought Nashville was missing,” Zygmont wrote on Instagram. “Our goal was to create a warm, inviting environment that served approachable, delicious food, and natural, low intervention wine. To those goals, I believe we succeeded. Unfortunately, we ran headfirst into a tornado and then Covid.”
Setsun isn’t the first East Nashville eatery to shutter during the pandemic. Rudie’s Seafood and Sausage announced their closure in March and Marche confirmed in June that the restaurant would not be reopening after closing due to both the tornado and COVID-19.
There is some good news in the food world, though, and that good news is SANDWICHES. Eastwood Deli, located in the former Wild Cow space on Eastland Avenue, is looking towards a soft-opening the first week of February. The deli is the new venture from former Alexander’s Catering and Cafe 15 owners Alex Griffin and Stefanie Kisselburg.
Their menu will include sweet and savory breakfast options (biscuit breakfast sandwiches, y’all!), salads, soups, and sandwiches like The Rosebank Roast Beef with caramelized onions, roasted poblanos, and horseradish cream cheese, and The Shelby Hipster, a vegan option with baked tofu, pickled red onion, avocado, tomato, greens, and Vegenaise. Generally, I am against the word “hipster” — it is used so indiscriminately that it means nothing — but I will make an exception for that delicious-sounding stack o’ goodness.
Now if only the Wild Cow would bring back the Prince Fielder sandwich with marinated tempeh then I’d really be in veggie sandwich heaven.
Keep an eye on Eastwood’s socials — Instagram and Facebook — for more opening announcements (and plenty pics of biscuits).
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Metro Public Health Launches COVID-19 Vaccine Stand-By List
Davidson County is currently distributing the COVID-19 vaccine to Group 1a2 (“outpatient healthcare workers with direct patient exposure”) and citizens who are 75-years-old or older. But on Tuesday Metro Public Health Department launched a vaccine standby list, which is open to “anyone who can arrive at our Five Points vaccination clinic within 30 minutes of the end of each vaccination day.”
That might be you!
The vaccine is stored frozen — like, minus-70-degrees Celsius frozen — so only a single day’s worth of vials are thawed out at a time. Once a vial is thawed, it must be used. But because each vial contains five doses, it’s possible that as many as four doses will be left after vaccinating all the day’s patients. They don’t want to throw those doses out, of course, hence the standby list!
To get on the list, email COVID19VaccineStandby@Nashville.gov and include your name and phone number. Whether or not there are extra doses will be determined at 2:30 p.m. every day, so keep an eye on your phone around that time. After any extra doses are administered, the standby email list is deleted, so you’ll have to email again every day for a chance to be selected.
Earlier this week MPHD said they received more than 15,000 emails (!!!), but hey, those are still better odds than the Powerball.
Follow MPHD’s Facebook page for updates.
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In Other COVID-19 News:
- There are currently 6,790 active cases of COVID-19 in Davidson County. Wear a mask. Wash your hands.
- Testing sites are adjusting their hours — and sometimes closing for the day — due to the cold weather. If you’re hoping to get a COVID-19 test, it’d be smart to check MPHD’s Twitter feed for updates before leaving the house. The latest info can also be found at asafenashville.org.
- Mayor John Cooper is out of quarantine and COVID-19 negative.
Happy Birthday, Dolly Parton
Everyone’s favorite Tennessean will celebrate her 75th birthday on Tuesday, so what perfect timing it was for Representative John Mark Windle to introduce House Bill 135 this week. The bill aims to erect a statue of the country singer at the state’s capitol.
“The statute of Dolly Parton is to be located on the capitol grounds facing in the direction of the Ryman Auditorium,” the bill reads.
Dolly has encouraged literacy and education by distributing more than one million children’s books and last year she helped fund the COVID-19 vaccine. Oh, and she also wrote the song “Jolene.” Damn right she deserves a statue! (Speaking of which, has Dolly gotten her vaccine yet? GIVE DOLLY THE VACCINE, WE NEED HER.)
Related: This month Senator Heidi Campbell also introduced Dolly-related legislation — Campbell filed a senate joint resolution to “urge President Biden to honor beloved Tennessean and cultural icon Dolly Parton with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.” Give her that, too. Give her everything. Hell, she can have my kidney if she ever needs one.
Quick Bits:
- On Tuesday, January 19, the Metro City Council will discuss lowering the default speed limit on residential streets from 30 mph to 25 mph. Several East Nashville streets would be among those impacted — you can see the proposed streets here. The virtual meeting will allow public comment — more info here.
- Nashville police chief John Drake says police are preparing for “the potential for protests” at the capitol between now and January 20. As reported on WSMV, possible events include a “Tennessee Freedom Event” on Sunday and a “pro-Trump rally” on Wednesday, Inauguration Day. Drake’s letter says “there is no indication of an imminent threat of violence or danger” but “we will be closely monitoring any events.” Stay safe, Nashville.
Have a tip for East Side Buzz? Email us at buzz@theeastnashvillian.com!
