Maybe it’s no surprise that last year’s Writer’s Choice for best new restaurant, chef Philip Krajeck’s Folk, should pop up this year under the category of all-around Best Restaurant. But such a transition is hardly automatic. Nashville’s restaurant annals are littered with stories of restaurants that started out spectacularly but fizzled before the year’s end. That’s why it’s delightful to award Folk the further honor in its sophomore year. It makes sense when you think of it, though. Krajeck waited almost six years after launching his pioneering Germantown restaurant Rolf and Daughters before opening Folk as his second establishment. The man is meticulous, and all the lessons he’s learned over the years have gone into creating and maintaining Folk. Krajeck still identifies the best seasonal ingredients, thanks to his team’s efforts to cultivate the region’s best farmers and suppliers, and it shows. Because of the seasonality, the menu changes frequently, but a few beloved items are always at hand, like the truly celestial clam pizza.
And a further point: It’s important for a kitchen to have a detailed knowledge of menu ingredients. For example, I dined recently at Folk with a friend who has a soy allergy, and when asked, the kitchen could point to the exact dishes that were safe (nearly all) and the one that might pose a problem. I don’t feel that sense of confidence in the pronouncements of most kitchens. Everything on Folk’s menu is carefully sourced, and there are no sloppy surprises.
Over the months I’ve also come to further appreciate the convivial comfort of Folk’s dining room. It somehow feels lively and bustling while still allowing conversation between diners at a normal volume. And the bar, facing the building’s front storefront windows, is a great place to hang out. There are cocktails of course, but I enjoy dabbling in the wine list. Folk says its guidelines mandate the selection of wines only from vineyards that are farmed and vinified organically, meaning there’s a lot of relatively obscure bottles to explore. The servers are knowledgeable about the wine list, but it’s also fun to sit at the bar and let the bartender regale you with even more detail.
As I noted last year, 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. Almost a year-and-a-half after it opened, Folk is a welcoming place that never disappoints. DANA KOPP FRANKLIN
