Dumplings at Locust
Locust is the brainchild of chef Trevor Moran, an affable Irishman with a solid restaurant résumé that includes time at Copenhagen’s Noma (sometimes cited as the best restaurant in the world) and at The Catbird Seat, the much-loved pioneer in Nashville’s culinary evolution. All that proved he had the chops to open his own place, Locust, which does nothing but amaze. The menu changes a lot, which merits exciting exploration — but don’t miss two of Moran’s obsessions: his steamed dumplings, which are deliriously succulent, and kakigōri, or Japanese-style shaved ice. The ice is as fluffy as snow and is decorated with whatever pleases the chef’s palate that evening. Locust is indeed a gem along the bustling 12South corridor, but word has gotten out nationally. In September, Food & Wine named Locust its Restaurant of the Year.
