It took chef Philip Krajeck almost six years after opening his excellent Rolf and Daughters to launch a second restaurant. The chef opened up Rolf way back in 2012; it quickly earned national notice and passionate devotion from Nashville diners for its excellent pasta-centric cuisine. That’s why the announcement that Krajeck was planning a second project excited keen anticipation. Well, huzzah for the arrival of Folk, Krajeck’s new palace of pizza and other inspired dishes, located in a renovated storefront in the McFerrin Park neighborhood of East Nashville. A former A&P grocery store, the space has been transformed into a chic-yet-comfortable spot, with a wide-open kitchen that allows diners to watch the wood-fired ovens Krajeck and his crew use to create wondrous things.
The clam pizza is the pinnacle of Folk’s method. It starts with fresh clams in the shell, cooked traditionally with white wine and herbs. The clams are removed from the pan, and the juices are concentrated and a little cream is added. That’s the pizza sauce. The cooked whole clams, plucked from their shells, go atop the pizza, and the pie enters the searing oven. The crust is a sophisticated complement to the tender clams, with rich, yeasty dough and bubbles of charred crust providing an earthy counterpoint. A sprinkling of shaved katsuobushi (smoked skipjack tuna from Japan) adds depth of flavor, and it’s finished with sprightly lemon and fresh Italian parsley. It is the perfect balance of flavors.
The menu offers several other pizzas plus shareable snacks, marvels of creativity and execution. Vegetables are great too: A memorable dish featured little potato crescents (Krajeck even picked out the potato seed variety for the farmer to plant) served with local eggs, boiled and roughly torn and tossed with a pesto of leafy celery and a topping of boquerones (pickled white anchovies from Spain).
Folk’s menu prices aren’t total budget busters, so the entry point is relatively accessible. You could pile on the dishes and have a special-event meal, or you could just zip in for a snack or pizza at the bar, spending much less. The bar stools and a line of seats facing out the windows are reserved for walk-ins, and the cocktail and wine lists are fun for experimenting. I could go on and on, but here’s the point: Folk managed to surpass our highest expectations for the brilliant and nimble Chef Krajeck, easily earning the Best New Restaurant nod. DANA KOPP FRANKLIN
