By 
Last August I traveled to Nashville for the first time. Even though Nashville is known as Music City, I don’t think I was prepared to be blown away by the talented musicians on Broadway.
Experiencing Nashville’s vibrant culinary scene was another highlight of my trip. Understandably, Nashville doesn’t have a large pool of ethnic restaurants like NY or LA, but by no means is the city devoid of incredible restaurants. During my six-day trip, I loved exploring the farm-to-table restaurants in East Nashville, the historic breweries in Germantown, the hefty Southern breakfasts, and the delicious ice cream and pies in Franklin.
With this being said, there’s one restaurant during my trip that stood out to me the most: Locust. After I wrote this review, I wasn’t surprised when I found out that Locust was featured in the 2022 NY Times article “The 50 Best Restaurants of America’s List”. In April 2024, Locust was featured on the “Top 20 Restaurants in the US, According to the Experts” list by the prestigious culinary magazine, Food & Wine.
As opposed to other restaurants in Nashville, Locust is not heavily advertised. The business is located in a nondescript space among the bustling stores and restaurants on 12 South Street. In other words, you have to look for it.
Opened in 2020, Locust only operates three days a week. In order to enjoy the brunch menu, you have to make a reservation a month in advance on their website, which includes a $50 deposit that will be discounted from your final bill. Luckily, if you can’t get a reservation for the lunch menu, the dinner menu is first-come first-serve. At night, Locust offers a more casual menu with smaller plates to share.
The signature appetizer are their steamed dumplings, which everyone seems to swear by. From what I read, the biggest standouts are the texture and their unique chili oil. Additionally, you’ll also be able to enjoy your dinner at the patio, which remains closed during the day.
As soon as the August reservations opened at the end of July at 10 am, I snagged a 12:30 pm slot on a Saturday. When you make the reservation, they will ask you if there’s anything that the team should know, including any dietary restrictions. Locust doesn’t have a phone number, so if you need to modify your reservation or if you have any other inquiries, email is the only option.
Award-winning Chef Trevor Moran is at the helm of Locust. He’s also Irish! The food at Locust is Asian-inspired with a Southern flare, but Chef Trevor is always finding ways to incorporate his Irish roots.
Chef Trevor Moran began his culinary journey at Noma, a Danish restaurant located in Copenhagen which has been deemed the best restaurant in the world for three consecutive years!
Locust’s minimalist interior features wooden accents, an open kitchen and a big shelf at the entrance with books, cups and plates. There were a few personal touches, like a funny cat clock, which made the restaurant feel more homey.
My server asked me where I was visiting from and gave me a breakdown of the menu. The food at Locust is ever-changing, but the Beef Tartare Handrolls seem to be a mainstay on the menu. Before I went to Locust, I was set on ordering them, to which she readily agreed. “Oh! They’re a must, especially if it’s your first time”, she said. I also wanted to try the crab omelet, but that would have been too much for one person. So, I opted for the Potato Bread as my second dish, which came with a tablespoon of scallop butter. For those wondering, here’s what the crab omelet looks like. It’s a feast for the eyes.
It was interesting to know that the sous chefs at Locust were also the servers! The girl said: “There’s not a designated server, so if you have any questions just ask anyone.”
While I was waiting for my food, I saw the creations that the sous chefs were meticulously crafting on the counter. One of them was delicately folding the omelette with tongs, brushing it and then placing a fish on top.
Without further ado, here’s what I ordered!
Beef Tartare Handrolls
The sous chef brought me the food on a tray. As he placed all the pots on the table, he instructed me on how the handrolls should be assembled. This reminded me of the hot springs hotels in the Japanese countryside, where the servers bring your food on a big tray with a bevy of tiny dishes and advise on how they should be eaten.
The raw beef was from Bear Creek Farm in Franklin, Tennessee, and the butter on top of the rice was from Ireland! Once I mixed it, I found that there was a delicious mayonnaise sauce at the bottom with hints of pepper.
This amalgamation of flavors will forever live in my dreams. It’s one of the best dishes I’ve ever had in my life, and it’s only a three-and-a-half-hour flight from LA!
The crisp nori sheets, the sticky rice, the fresh beef, the sour punch from the dried capers, the delicate mayonnaise sauce, and the creaminess of the butter. To say that I was blown away is a huge understatement. Don’t forget to add the leaves! It adds an extra layer of crunchiness and a very pleasant earthy flavor to the overall handroll.
According to Locust on one of their Instagram posts, the raw beef is gently seasoned. You can tell that they used a very high-quality beef because it tasted very fresh without having that overpowering meaty flavor. I loved it so much that I made sure to eat every last bit off the plate. The raw beef tied everything together. The server was right, if it’s your first time dining at Locust, you can’t miss the Beef Tartare Handrolls. I hope it’s still on the menu when I return next year. 🙁
Admittedly, I was a little intimidated to eat raw beef. But, if it’s properly prepared, raw beef is not unsafe to eat. However, the beef must be from a trustworthy source, and temperature control is also crucial.
Scallops
Complimentary
This is a dish that was on the menu, and they were nice enough to comp it!
The sliced Scallop Crudo was fresh and tender. It was paired with an eye-catching marbled green sauce made of lovage and apple, which had a delightful grassy flavor that my tastebuds still remember so vividly. This delicate sauce complimented the sweet and buttery flavor of the scallops without overshadowing them. It was a beautiful balancing act of flavors and textures.
Once I finished eating the scallops, the sous chef highly encouraged me to dip the Potato Bread in the sauce.
Potato Bread
If you’re not a bread person, this one might convert you. Locust’s potato bread was fluffy, buttery and impeccably toasted. Since I was already having the bread with the sauce, I did not eat the scallop butter.
“Should I order dessert?” I asked the server. “Oh my God. Absolutely. Also, since it’s shaved ice it won’t feel too heavy.”
Here is Chef Trevor with three blocks of ice, ready to shave them in the machine!
This dessert is inspired by Kakigori, a widely popular Japanese summer dessert. It consists of shaved ice piled high, and it’s garnished with a variety of toppings that include condensed milk, ice cream, red bean paste or syrups.
The top of the shaved ice had a thick layer of Earl Grey tea mousse that was dusted with a beautiful dehydrated raspberry powder and sprinkles of salt. Chef Trevor brought me my dessert alongside a tiny metal cup with shortbread syrup. “When you get halfway, add this. It tastes like cookies. It’s really good,” he said.
The creamy mousse tasted like condensed milk with a citrus hint. The fine powder stuck in the roof of my mouth, which further enhanced the experience of eating the fine iced particles with the creamy mousse. Yes, it was as good as it looked. Ugh, I want it now. 🙁
Chef Trevor Moran could have just stopped there, but his creativity knows no limits. He’s always finding ways to incorporate a wide array of textures and unique flavors in his dishes, which makes Locust so innovative and unique. No bite at Locust goes unnoticed.
Once I finished eating the top, I was surprised to find honeycomb bubbles and bergamot leaves! The latter gave the shaved ice a citrus and mild bitter flavor, and the honeycombs were slightly chewy. I poured some of the shortbread syrup, which was warm and hardened into the fine iced particles. I loved it! Unfortunately, I was only able to have a few bites of the shaved ice with the syrup because I was so full.
Overall thoughts
I live in Los Angeles, one of the best food cities in the United States, but very few restaurants have impacted me the way Locust has. The blend of textures and flavors was unlike anything I’d had before. The service from the sous chefs/servers was also stellar. I felt like Cleopatra!
After my meal, it was a no-brainer as to why Locust has put Nashville on the map as one of the best culinary destinations in the United States.
In THIS video, chef/ food influencer Senpai Kai, said he wasn’t expecting to have one of the best meals of his life. We shared the same thoughts!
“I would go to Nashville just to eat at this place. Probably for lunch and then come back for dinner. Seriously, this was so incredible.” he said. It really is worth the hype!
For being such a highly regarded restaurant, I thought the food was fairly priced. As I said before, the $50 deposit was discounted from my final bill, which came to $40. The bread with butter was $12, the shaved ice was $16 and the Beef Tartare Handrolls were $40. These prices are not too far off from other high-end restaurants in Nashville or LA. Not to mention how much I ate! I wasn’t able to eat all the rice, the bread and the shaved ice. In other words, make sure you come hungry!
The fine dining industry often has a negative connotation of being snobbish and pretentious. Locust’s minimalist interior with the wooden tables, the Japanese-style blinds and the friendly staff will instantly put you at ease. Your only job at Locust is to relax and indulge in every bite of this memorable dining experience.
Given the delicacy of the ingredients and the meticulous attention to detail that goes into each dish, it makes sense that Locust limits the number of customers and business hours. This is not the type of place that could serve 100 people on a busy Friday night.
When you make a brunch reservation at Locust, you should be as excited as a child on Christmas day.
Hours:
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday:
Lunch: 10:30am-2:30pm (reservations required)
Locust at night: 6pm – 9pm (walk-ins only)
Outdoor patio bar: 5pm – 9pm (walk-ins only)
