The New York Times’ much-anticipated, annual restaurant list dropped Tuesday. And of the 50 featured spots from across the country, two Tennessee establishments made the cut.
Rachel Iacovone WPLN NewsBad Idea’s golden curry corndog and fried bologna sandwich with potato chip aioli off the restaurant’s late-night menu
The first tracks with the list’s usual vibe. Bad Idea is a new sommelier-owned wine bar in East Nashville that serves Laotian fusion from a head chef who once worked under Sean Brock.
Sommelier and restauranter Alex Burch and Colby Rasavong started Bad Idea via a series of pop-ups at other local beloved restaurants, like Bastion in Wedgewood-Houston, Urban Cowboy in East and St. Vito in the Gulch. In the time since, the menu has firmed up to become much more distinctly Lao-inspired; the wine list has gotten significantly longer; and the space inside a former church now hosts its own late night takeovers by local chefs who may one day do the same as Bad Idea.
Rachel’s rec: Personally, I slip in after 10 p.m. for a late-night menu that includes golden curry corndogs and fried bologna sandwiches with potato chip aioli. This doesn’t typically require a reservation, but you can also make one ahead.
Rachel Iacovone WPLN NewsA recent family meal option during Bad Idea’s late-night seatings: “Yum Gai Dao,” or fried egg salad with cucumber, fish sauce vinaigrette and koshihikari rice
Pick two may come as more of a surprise to Nashvillians, who have long loved this South Nashville establishment: Edessa.
The Kurdish restaurant has a menu ranging from the familiar — hummus, kabobs, falafel — to ezme, or Turkish salsa made from tomatoes, pomegranate molasses, bell peppers, onions, parsley, oil and lemon. Since its opening in 2018, Edessa made quick work of becoming a flagship on Nolensville Pike. A good indicator of how legitimate they are is how packed the restaurant gets on Ramadan nights.
Rachel’s rec: My favorite things on the menu are the manti, a heaping bowl of Turkish dumplings served in garlicky yogurt and spicy tomato butter, and the piping hot Turkish coffee.
Rachel Iacovone WPLN NewsA bowl of manti, or Turkish dumplings, at Edessa
Only one Nashville restaurant made the list in 2023 — but it was Kisser, which you may not be all that familiar with since it’s been about impossible to get a table since.
So, longtime lovers or new fans, be prepared to practice some patience in the near future with the staffs at both of the 2024 picks.
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