Chicken Kiev at Pastis
My colleague Margaret Littman wrote an excellent feature last week about the buzz surrounding the opening of the new Nashville outpost of NYC-based Pastis. Print deadlines being what they are, much of her story was reported in advance of the opening. Additionally, the reservation system was apparently a bit wonky or they were releasing tables in an unusual way, because the first time I tried to score a reservation, there weren’t any available before 8:30 p.m. for the rest of July.
When I told my planned dining companions that my internal alarm clock doesn’t react well to dining (or staying out) that late anymore, they tried on their own and found a perfectly respectable 6:30 p.m. for mid-July. Maybe it was just me.
I do know several people who have already dined at Pastis more than 10 times, including a friend who is on a mission to ensconce himself as a regular, the kind of relationship where reservation systems are superfluous. I understand his ardor, because Pastis is that sort of place — a proper third space where it would always be a great last-minute idea to just sit at the bar and enjoy a martini and a steak sandwich. Kinda like Mother’s Ruin for the upper 10 percenters.
So how was my experience? In retrospect, “experience” turns out to be a good word for a visit to Pastis, because the vibe and being part of the scene are as important as the food. We visited on a bustling Bastille Day, and the place was unsurprisingly packed. Margaret recounted a story from an early Tuesday night when the entire restaurant reputedly started singing along to an Elton John song playing through the sound system. I find that surprising, because despite multiple speakers spread across the tin ceiling of every section of the restaurant, it was so boisterously loud that we played a game at our table trying to guess what song was playing.
Shazam was of no help, and the fact that we could barely make out the galloping bass line and thunderous kick drum of Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” until halfway through the song should let you know how raucous that room was. If you have any plans to remodel a bathroom anytime soon, I’d steer clear of white subway tiles, because Pastis bought them all. They are lovely and contribute to the Parisian metro station vibe of the restaurant, but it wouldn’t hurt to practice a little ASL if you want to have a conversation on a busy night.
From bouillabaisse to boeuf Bourguignon, a new Wedgewood-Houston spot is bringing bistro buzz to Nashville
Enough old-man grousing from me! How was the food and drink? I love it when I open a menu and sincerely wish I could order every dish. Pastis is such a place, especially if you’re a fan of bistro fare. I could definitely see making a meal out of appetizers while seated at the bar, lingering over one of their creative cocktails with a half-dozen oysters, crispy artichokes that put any Bloomin’ Onion to shame, and a fascinating tuna carpaccio that arrived at the table in a single sheet of what could best be described as a fish roll-up. Once you gave in to the creativity in texture and presentation, it really was a delicious and interesting dish.
Don’t skip checking the daily specials, which rotate through classic international dishes like chicken Kiev, Dover sole and duck à l’orange. The dorade doyale en papillote (sea bream cooked in parchment) was a delightful and flavorful presentation of the flaky fish. You’ll never go wrong with frites at Pastis, especially the steak dishes. The flank with maître d’hôtel butter, filet with a sauce au poivre and strip steak with a sauce béarnaise all have received raves from either my dining companions or people I’ve polled. Lobster and mussels are also available accompanied by those lovely shoestring fries. And don’t forget to ask for the house aioli for dunking if they bring you ketchup instead.
The one steak sandwich to rule them all!
Being the basic dude I am, I ordered the steak sandwich, and I can say that it sets the standard for any steak sandwich I’ll ever eat going forward. Served on French bread with a gooey melange of caramelized onions and gruyere, it was more than I could eat in one sitting. So my best dinner of the week also became the best lunch of my week the next day.
Service was, let’s say, strained by the constant inflow of guests filling tables and blocking service lanes. Waits between courses were long, and one flustered server almost served an entire tray of someone else’s burgers to our table ... we were almost hungry enough to accept them. As they add brunch and lunch, I don’t expect Pastis to get any less busy. Fortunately, they have backfilled local staff with experienced help from some of the other locations to help set the standard.
So forewarned is forearmed: Pastis is an experience. The reason it feels so crowded and chaotic is because so many people already love it. The food, the ambiance, the noise, the crowds — they’re all part of the ride that is very much worth taking! I’ll see you for the Early Bird Special.
