If you’re not a skier or you don’t come from an area where skiing is popular, then Embers Ski Lodge in 12South may seem odd to you. Even if you are familiar with ski culture, it may still seem odd to have a ski lodge-themed restaurant and bar in the middle of Nashville. But the owners are fans of aprés ski (the fun that happens after a day on the slopes) and wanted to bring the convivial vibe of lodges from North America and around the world to the neighborhood. Not an unrealistic goal for such a hip and tight-knit neighborhood.
The menu has been refined a bit since Chris Chamberlain’s First Bite last year as well as Megan Seling’s visit last summer. There are still just a very few items on the regular menu that are vegetarian-friendly (brunch has more options), but it’s worth it to note that what they do have is really good. On a recent visit, I had the triple-decker grilled cheese with Gouda, and it was fantastic. And as Seling noted last year, the fries are amazing. Thick-cut, crispy and full of flavor (even though they are fried in vegetable oil, not duck fat as they are often asked) and served with your choice of dipping sauces (the roasted garlic blueberry mustard sounds weird, but was surprisingly good).
But the food is not necessarily the primary reason to go to Embers. It's a pretty fun place just to hang out. The atmosphere is great, due in large part to the excellent bar. The craft cocktails are some of the most inspired I’ve seen (the Gingerbread Old Fashioned was one of the best and strongest drinks I’ve had in a long time) and the shelves are bulging with a huge selection of spirits, including some 200 types of whiskey and bourbon. (200!) That’s in addition to wines, beers and other alcoholic beverages. Happy hour is every day of the week from 3 to 6 p.m., which means two-for-one beers, $6 wine and drink specials, and “big boy” pours of your choice of whiskey and bourbon.
If you’re an experienced drinker, you’ll love their selection; if you’re a novice, you’ll appreciate the knowledgeable and friendly staff to help make a recommendation. Virgil Kane’s Ginger Bourbon? B. Pritchard’s Sweet Lucy? Jack Daniel’s Sinatra Select? Heck yeah, try ‘em out. The list is helpfully separated by state of origin as well as region or country, as the case may be. So it's easy to find favorites or choose from similar styles.
That’s the real appeal of the restaurant: being able to hang out and sample a ton of different beverages and probably making a new friend or two in the process. And a huge basket of fries. Definitely get the fries.
