Multicourse, family-style dinners offered by Scenic City chefs are gaining popularity with local diners, and I’ve jumped wholeheartedly on that bandwagon. My first experience was at Signal Mountain’s Hummingbird Pastaria, which hosts its communal Tavolata dinners the last Monday of each month. While there’s no exact English translation, “tavolata” is basically Italian for “a merry table of friends.”
Upon entering the cozy Italian eatery, guests choose their seats at a table set for about 20 diners. Some people come alone or as a couple, and others bring a few friends. Couples can sit next to or across from each other, but are asked to avoid leaving open seats so other parties won’t have to split up.
“It’s exciting and fun, and you end up around people you wouldn’t normally come in contact with,” says Patrick Halloran, Hummingbird co-owner and chef.
In addition to introducing people to new dining companions, Hummingbird’s set five-course meals also expose diners to different kinds of dishes they may not have been tempted to order for themselves off the menu. Halloran changes the menu for Tavolata each time. Ingredients correspond with the current season, he says.
The meals are a deal at $20 per person, with the option of adding a flight of paired wines for $15 per person.