Ben Norton Keeps Husk in Top Form

With the plethora of new high-end restaurants popping up like daffodils in the spring, it’s easy to overlook some absolutely fantastic and reliable dining options in Nashville. With that in mind, I realized I hadn’t been to visit Husk since Ben Norton took over the kitchen from Katie Coss and decided to remedy that error.

It’s the mark of a great restaurant that it can maintain consistency of food and service in the face of major personnel changes, and Husk hasn’t received enough credit for navigating the difficult dining conditions of Nashville while experiencing changes in leadership. From Sean Brock and his opening team that included two future Husk executive chefs, Morgan McGlone and Brian Baxter, through a short stint with Tim Moody leading the kitchen and a longer run under the auspices of Coss, Husk has continued to put out amazing food that remains true to Brock’s original founding philosophy of exalting the ingredients and recipes of the South.

With the departure of Coss late last spring, Neighborhood Dining Group looked internally for a new leader. They hit on Ben Norton, the former exec of NDG’s legendary (but now shuttered) McCrady’s in Charleston. Norton also trained under Linton Hopkins at Atlanta’s legendary Restaurant Eugene, so he arrived in Nashville with some major bona fides. Chef Norton was accompanied by another NDG vet, Bryan O’Kelly who is serving as chef de cuisine. O’Kelly worked at Husk in Savannah (also, now shuttered, sigh, Edited: Husk Savannah is thankfully still open. It was the Husk in Greenville, SC that closed last year) so he is definitely ingrained in the philosophies and procedures of the kitchen.

The fact that Nashville is the beneficiary of such an experienced bench of talent courtesy of Neighborhood Dining Group is significant, considering that many restaurants in town are scrambling to even find a dishwasher with relevant experience. Norton is very excited about working with local farmers and purveyors and looking forward to taking his second pass through the Middle Tennessee seasons to discover the absolute best timely ingredients.

When I made my visit in January, it was definitely the off-season for most produce, a challenge that Husk chefs have never shied away from when planning menus. While the menu evolves and changes pretty much daily, Norton continues the tradition of reaching out for some exotic ingredients that don’t show up in many other restaurants. Dishes on the late January docket included elements like Carolina conch peas and sour celery along with a greatest hits of tried and true suppliers such as country ham from Alan Benton, Kentuckyaki sauce from Matt Jamie’s Louisville-based Bourbon Barrel Foods and beef and pork from Middle Tennessee ranching legends LeeAnn and Bill Cherry of Bear Creek Farm.

I leaned on those old favorite suppliers for much of my order, opening with a delectable order of Bear Creek beef tartare with an exotic crawfish XO sauce, banana peppers and mint. My dining companion and I also enjoyed little gem lettuce with country ham, buttermilk and fried onions alongside the Kentuckyaki pigs ears with peanuts that have been on the menu since my first visit almost nine years ago. Both apps were basically lettuce wraps, allowing us to eat with our hands, but the fried onions and peanuts delivered a lovely bit of textural contrast to the dishes.

Through the years, many of the chefs at Husk Nashville have demonstrated an interest in elements of Asian cuisine, and Norton maintains that trend with his inclusion of that Kentuckyaki, XO sauce and a delightful apple hoisin that glazed my succulent Bear Creek pork chop main dish. Beets are one item that I can’t sell to my nightly dining companion, but even she appreciated the earthy side dish that came with my chops. She opted for what read like a pretty traditional shrimp and grits dish, but turned out to be a transcendent version of the lowcountry staple. The creamy Marsh Hill mill grits and spicy New Orleans BBQ shrimp were accented by bok choy and benne seeds that added some nice depth to the overall flavors.

Finishing my meal with a slice of vinegar pie was a fine choice. This East Tennessee specialty was served with hibiscus honey and rose whipped cream and was delightfully creamy, sweet, tart and floral. It made for a perfect coda.

Service has always been excellent at Husk, but I have to admit it could get a little overly earnest if you didn’t let your server know that you were a return visitor. While I love to hear a good story, I don’t always need to know that the pig who contributed that chop was named Reginald and that the house where Husk resides used to be a private residence. (I actually went to Christmas parties there growing up.) I was pleased that on this visit, my attentive server maintained a perfect balance of attention without intrusion, information without minutiae and just a plain delightful personality. She really added to the experience.

I walked away from the meal pleased that one of the restaurants that put Nashville on the national culinary map is still growing and excelling and shows no signs of peaking. While they still haven’t reopened for lunch, denying me of one of my favorite midday treats, weekend brunch is still on the docket. If you haven’t visited in a while, now’s the time because there are spots available on most weeknights that don’t require dining early like a septuagenarian (or like me) or after 9 p.m. like a Spaniard. Make reservations on Resy and check in on an old friend!