The third piece of Melvil Arnt’s East Nashville Francophile trifecta is getting ready to open.
As he did with his other two businesses, Once Upon a Time in France and the soon-to-open Overlord, Arnt has transformed an otherwise unremarkable storefront into a continental hideaway. The Authentique, housed in a former CBD shop, now sports decorative ceiling tiles, patterned period wallpaper, French-themed artwork, bistro tables and a sleek bar. The cozy, 800-square-foot space on Gallatin Road is across the street from Once Upon a Time in France, the restaurant he runs with his family.
The Authentique is Arnt’s dream come true; a wine bar is what he originally wanted to open before he and his parents decided to create the restaurant. The bar will sell wines by the bottle and by the glass. Arnt is also applying for a beer permit. There will be a very small food menu — basically what’s needed to get a wine license, with charcuterie and other small plates. Once Upon a Time in France doesn’t take reservations, so Arnt envisions The Authentique being somewhere diners can wait for their table to be ready, so you’d only need a light snack and a glass of wine before dinner anyway.
Americans are the No. 1 consumer of wine in the world (France comes in second), but many Americans can be intimidated by it. Arnt wants Americans in general and East Nashvillians in particular to appreciate good wine and learn about wine. The Authentique will stock about 50 percent French wines, but more importantly, the people behind the counter will know what they are pouring and will be willing to chat. Arnt has offered wine classes at the restaurant, and anticipates doing the same at the wine bar, with opportunities to book private group classes outside of opening hours.
While Overlord (named for Operation Overlord, aka The Battle of Normandy) is inspired by the soldiers who liberated Europe in World War II, The Authentique harkens to an earlier time, sort of an early 1900s art nouveau aesthetic. If you’ve been to Paris and admired the stylized text on some of the Metro stops, that’s art nouveau. Arnt hopes to expand the space to include an outdoor garden area in the back in the future, but for now the wine bar is a small interior space that will be great for date night or chatting with a stranger at the bar.
The Authentique will be located at 925 Gallatin Road and will open in July or August.
