EDIT: This restaurant is currently closed.
We love good food, we love to cook and we entertain quite often. We also enjoy our evenings out of the kitchen. Oftentimes, we will spend an ungodly amount of money only to be unsatisfied with our meal. What’s even worse is to leave a restaurant and later not even remember what we ate. Good dining should be memorable.
Nashville is full of fine dining establishments, but we live in Hendersonville that has long been a bedroom community. Hopefully the tide is changing with up and coming new restaurants like Sea Salt, now located in our city.
Sea Salt, formerly located in the heart of downtown Nashville, will feature a unique French twist on seafood dishes pulling inspiration from local ingredients found in middle Tennessee and neighboring areas in this unique Farm to Table concept. Sea Salt’s stunning new suburban space coupled with its exquisite food, impeccable service and signature cocktails will continue to make every night one to remember. The new Sea Salt will also feature a lively piano bar, fresh oyster bar and private dining accommodations.
Most people eat and never give a thought where their food comes from. Farm to table is a trendy phrase, but the concept is as old as our grandparents. I like knowing the origin of my food and I also like supporting local businesses. Can we all agree that fresh food just tastes better?
When we heard Sea Salt was opening, we made our reservations for opening week.
The staff is welcoming and eager to take the time for a chat, even with an extremely busy opening. Keith Zust, the man behind the mission, sat down with us to talk. His attention to detail is obvious and his passion for food is impressive.
Our first visit was Thursday evening and we started with drinks. Bob had red wine, Isabella, and I had a mixed cocktail, La Palabra. It was so good, I had two.
The menu has something for all palettes and we are told that the menu will change with the seasons. Farm to Table freshness at its best.
My goodness, dinner was delicious. We started with the fresh oysters. You have to understand, we live in middle Tennessee, so to get fresh tasting raw oysters, is a treat! These were as good as any I’ve had on the coast. Our choices were Canadian and West Coast and we were not disappointed. They were served with our favorite, mignonette.
Next up was the Salmon Carpaccio. It was a small plate, but very fresh, tasty, buttery and it melts in your mouth. I didn’t want to share it.
We are pepper lovers (hot for Bob, not so hot for me). The Shishito Peppers were both hot and mild and honestly one of my favorites things of the evening. I couldn’t get enough of them. They were charred and salty….perfect.
Ok, so I lied…the Scallops were my favorite. The mushroom grits were so creamy and I would have liked maybe just one more scallop?? Delicious!
Bob had the Steak Frites, a coffee rubbed tri-tip cooked perfectly and topped with chimichurri. What’s the big deal about fries you may ask. Well, let me tell you, Bob makes some pretty dang good fries and not everyone can. These are very good too. We ate every one of them.
Then we heard…..shhhhh….that the weekend was bringing truffles to the table. So we made reservations again while we were still seated at the table. I can’t remember the last time I went to the same restaurant twice in one week unless it was a vacation spot.
Saturday night was not disappointing either. We are just a bit obsessed with truffles. I often make homemade pasta with truffles or add truffle oil to many dishes. I like to bake a round of Brie that has been flavored with truffles, herbs and honey, sometimes brandy. The truffles I use are black truffles. Tonight’s delicacy were white truffles. They are so mild but added just a touch of something very special.
Our city is known for Nashville Hot Chicken and it is all the rage, so we had to try the Nashville Hot Chowder. A creamy broth with smoked trout and mussels served with a spicy side. Don’t even consider eating this without the added spice, which is loaded with flavor.
We looked over the menu to decide which entrees would be best served with shaved truffles. I chose the Agnolotti. A homemade stuffed ravioli that was absolutely delicious! I asked for a spoon so I couldn’t miss a drop.
Bob, the burger snob, said his burger was one of the best he’s eaten and would come back to Sea Salt just for the burger. It’s a double stacked smashed burger. Â I had to have a bite and yes, I agree….I’d order it for myself. It was that good. The truffles were a nice addition, of course, but the burger stands alone without them.
Chef Brad deserves some serious recognition. He’s pulled it all off with his staff the first week. I look forward to other delights from his kitchen!
I highly recommend Hendersonville’s new addition and I wish them much success!
I can’t leave without mentioning the added treat for dining….a piano bar. Bob walked over to talk to him and requested a song. Only two notes in, I knew what he had asked for. I stood up laughing and walked over to join in. I only wish I had started recording from the beginning.
“Just a Gigolo”, of course!
Happy Dining,
~ Kat