Locust
Development has radically transformed Nashville neighborhoods in recent years, and one of the most notoriously congested sites is the neighborhood called 12South. (That name itself is a neologism; previous monikers include Sunnyside.)
The once sleepy stretch of 12th Avenue South between Wedgewood and Kirkland has improbably become a tourist destination, jammed with restaurants and boutiques. Parking is so tight that some cranky locals refuse to even patronize the neighborhood — the idea of paying to park is a bridge too far for some stubborn longtime Nashvillians.
But avoid 12South at your own peril. Among the attractions are some notable restaurants, including one I recently visited, the gem called Locust.
Locust is the brainchild of chef Trevor Moran, who we recently awarded a writers’ choice for Best Chef in the 2021 Best of Nashville issue. Before even arriving in Nashville, the Irishman spent four years cooking at Noma in Copenhagen, which is sometimes cited as the best restaurant in the world. After arriving in Nashville in 2013, Moran got a high-profile gig running the kitchen at The Catbird Seat, the flagship for Strategic Hospitality, the Goldberg brothers’ restaurant group.
Dumplings at Locust
Moran’s time at The Catbird Seat proved he has the chops to turn his culinary obsessions into superior cuisine. Now he has his own restaurant, the Asian-inspired Locust, also in the Strategic Hospitality family. It opened a year ago, but didn’t immediately get the kind of fanfare it deserved due to the pandemic. Word is now out that Locust is a very special spot.
I recently ventured to Locust a couple of times, and first I have some basic notes to report. One: Reservations are a must. Two: The restaurant is open only three days a week — Friday, Saturday and Sunday. In other words, Locust is a hot ticket, and you have to plan ahead.
Is it worth your efforts? The answer is emphatically yes. The menu is small — five items plus specials — but everything is worthy.
The star of the show is the steamed pork dumplings ($20 for a basket of 12). These are really fresh; on our visits, the view into the open kitchen revealed chefs making dumplings throughout the service.
The pork is from local Bear Creek Farm, seasoned traditionally with ginger and garlic. The wrappers are made from scratch with finely milled rice.
After a quick steam, the dumplings had the perfect bite and weren’t soggy at all. The flavor was enhanced by judicious use of the little squirt bottle of chili oil that came on the side. (Moran says the chili oil is seasoned with a secret blend of spices. “Even I don’t know what’s in it,” he jokes.)
Perhaps the most mind-bending of the dishes was the beef tartare ($20). The succulent raw beef is Bear Creek Farm bottom round, seasoned with horseradish oil, onion oil and salt. It came with warm rice moistened with a cream made from pickled, smoked egg with some crispy rice pieces and green onion. Also on the table: sheets of nori, or seaweed. The idea was to roll the two ingredients inside a nori tube and then enjoy. It was enjoyable indeed, with the luscious beef and rice combining inside the piquant seaweed delivery system.
Moran’s take on shrimp ($13) was also novel. Royal red shrimp mousse luxuriated inside a pocket of pastry with chili oil. It was like a savory version of a hand pie.
To complement the intensely flavored meat dishes, I highly recommend ordering the vegetables with dipping salt ($6). On one visit it was raw cucumber spears. On another it was mini hakurei turnips.
With that we’d eaten almost the entire menu. In fact, going with a companion or two and ordering the whole menu is a savvy approach at Locust.
On our visits there was also a daily sashimi special: a generous portion of raw tuna belly or toro ($40). Toro is one of my favorite dishes on any menu, and Locust’s version was impeccable. The savory dipping sauce looked like soy sauce but was actually made from malted potato.
One thing you don’t want to do is skip dessert. Moran has long experimented with kakigōri ($12), Japanese-style shaved ice, which is nothing like a snow cone — though the ice is indeed as fluffy as snow. On our visit it was topped with marzipan mousse and a drizzle of salted caramel. Inside was a dollop of local maypop and passionfruit. It was one of the more memorable desserts I’ve ever had.
Service was friendly and on-point. As for the vibe, it was pleasant. When we visited for weekend lunch, the music playing was Paul McCartney’s early solo record Ram, complementing a mellow mood. When we visited on a Saturday night the soundtrack was metal, and the mood was more high-energy.
But either way, Locust has a fun, convivial atmosphere. Large windows open onto 12th Avenue South. It’s like a culinary oasis on a hectic but buzzworthy strip — and an excellent addition to Nashville’s dining scene.
