Henrietta Red
Come for the hot chicken, stay for the…oysters?
GO HERE: to find out why everyone is talking about Nashville as America’s new culinary destination. The latest proof is chef and Nashville-native Julia Sullivan’s temple to all things seafood, named for her grandmother and her grandfather, Edgar, a redhead. With this Germantown neighborhood hangout, Sullivan and her business-partner/sommelier Allie Poindexter have shown that Nashville has way more to offer than honky-tonks and bologna sandwiches.
ORDER THE: oysters in all their glorious forms: raw, wood-roasted with green curry, made into fritters, in a stew, or fried in an oyster sandwich. Linguine with clams comes with a kick of fiery Calabrian chile. The non-seafood items (braised lamb with polenta and Meyer lemon, for example) hold their own, too.
THE VIBE IS: one of the most beautiful dining rooms we came across all year: marble-topped oyster bar, whitewashed exposed brick walls, leather chairs, and so on. Expect to see at least one bachelorette party (they love Nashville).
GETTING IN: is a bit tough, especially on weekends, so try to reserve a few weeks out. The front bar, reserved for walk-ins only, is a nice place to hang on quieter nights (it can get painfully loud on the weekends).
WAKE UP WITH: brunch, often an afterthought at many restaurants, is not so here. Henrietta’s goes well beyond the usual suspects with dishes like field-pea toast with sunflower tahini, baked egg with creamy kale and feta, and shrimp salad with house-made crackers.
