In my decade-plus of writing here at Bites, I can’t remember an instance when more time passed between when I first wrote about an upcoming restaurant or bar project and when it finally opened than is the case with chef-restaurateur Ford Fry’s new cocktail lounge, Le Loup. But it has indeed been just two weeks short of four years since we first shared the details of a planned trio of spots in the Hammer Mill project at 1400 Adams St. Le Loup joins The Optimist, our writers' choice for Best Seafood in 2021's Best of Nashville issue, and the still-in-the-works Star Rover Sound will complete the triumvirate.
But hey, let’s cut them some slack and show some grace about the delay, because, well … a lot of stuff has happened in Nashville over the past four years. So we’re just glad that the doors are finally open at Le Loup, which you enter from The Optimist via a staircase marked “Sea Creatures & Spirits Await.”
The opulent space seeks to create a moody vibe with a dimly lit bar, marble accents and a flickering fireplace. Whether you visit for a pre- or post-meal experience coupled with dinner at The Optimist, or make Le Loup a standalone destination, there’s plenty to recommend from the food and drink menus.
The cocktail program comes courtesy of longtime bar pro Kenneth Vanhooser who has worked behind the stick in New York City and most recently at L.A. Jackson in the Thompson Hotel in the Gulch. Vanhooser is downright obsessive about his ice program, and a video that runs in the background of Le Loup’s website shows him dexterously carving blocks down to artistic cubes with a knife that, frankly, scares the hell out of me. But the results of his efforts are icy jewels for use in a mixing tin or as the base for a classic Japanese-style cocktail service.
With more than 50 drinks on the menu divided into Originals, Classics, Forgotten Classics and Tributes, there should be something for every taste at Le Loup. A roving bar cart adds more drama by preparing some of the drinks tableside.
On the food side, Le Loup’s menu revolves around elevated bar snacks, including deepwater oysters and other seafood treats such as spot prawns and razor clams. Shareables include favorites like Fry’s classic smoked fish dip with crackers, raclette-laced house “tots,” scallop crudo and a foie gras and duck liver parfait. Although it’s not aquatic, the country ham gruyère gougère also caught my eye.
Scallop crudo at Le Loup
“We are excited to introduce an elevated beverage program and luxe experience here at Le Loup,” says Fry. “In this timeless and luxurious space, our aim is to become the destination for cocktails in Nashville. It’s about classically inspired cocktails done with over-the-top flair. The ice-cold oysters add a final touch of luxury.”
Le Loup is currently open at 1400 Adams St. Thursday through Saturday from 5 p.m. to close, so drop by and welcome them. Finally!
