Tucked away from all the downtown fanfare, nestled quietly along Woodland Street in East Nashville rests Lockeland Table, a restaurant whose reputation far precedes itself. While the food itself is well-known among Nashvillians, it was the character and style of the restaurant that completely caught me off guard. I like to go in as dark as I possibly can when I try a new spot – I hear the name, might even get a few menu recommendations, but I try and keep my palate, figuratively and literally, as clean as possible. I’ve heard rumblings of smoked bone marrow and East Nashville, but other than that, I didn’t scope out anything prior to a couple of Saturdays ago when I treated my wife to dinner at Lockeland Table to celebrate her birthday.
I’m an old soul – my days of loud music and jam-packed clubs are behind me. I appreciate my peace and quiet. It’s why I rarely venture downtown anymore since my wife and I moved to Mount Juliet a couple of years ago. So, I was delightfully surprised when I noticed where our destination was on the GPS. We had reservations for 5PM (my wife and I are now fully on board the ‘early dinner’ train), but since we didn’t have anything to do, we arrived 45 minutes early and were seated right away. It was an intimate setting, one in which the attention to detail was evident everywhere I looked. From the lush foliage adorning the windows at the front of the restaurant to the dinnerware…cool, Earthy plates with blue hues that complemented the rich wooden browns brought out in our table, Lockeland Table had an aura of tranquility that primes you for a clear and restorative meal. I really dug that. You’ll see photos of the dishes we ordered, and you’ll read my thoughts on the meal we had, but it was really the style of the restaurant that made it such a cozy and charming experience. That was the ‘above and beyond’ that made it stand out to me.
I was downright stunned to learn that Lockeland Table has been open since 2012. I am so far behind on this one. Gah, am I that uncool now at 36 years old? Am I that far removed from *ahem* the scene? I don’t know. I know what a glizzy is and I listen to Japanese Breakfast. I like to think I’m cool, but maybe this one just slipped through the cracks. Anyway, let’s get to this meal! For more on Lockeland Table, check out their website.
Pics
Ratings
Food: 8.1/10 – I went with the spinach fettucine and mushroom cream sauce, and found it to be creamy and fresh with a nice variation in flavor due to the mushrooms and the peas. It also had a nice variation in texture thanks to the nice crunch the pecans provided. My wife ordered the NY strip, and I found it to be a solid steak that popped thanks to the rich zest of the chimichurri. That vinegar bite was balanced out with the rich flavor of the tomatoes, and again, those pecans showed up to give the dish a nice variance in texture. The bananas foster bread pudding was a nice cap to the meal, not overbearingly sweet, it highlighted the flavor of the banana, a common thread across all of the dishes we had…nothing was over-seasoned. They let the ingredients do the talking for them. The stars of the show though, for me, were the fried green tomatoes that accompanied the wedge salad we started with. I’m not a big blue cheese salad guy, but since it was my wife’s birthday, I rolled with it. I’ll reserve judgment on the salad, but the fried green tomatoes were the best I’ve ever had. I’m not sure how to describe it – they were “tightly” breaded…sometimes, you get fried green tomatoes that just fall apart and slide all over the place, making a huge mess in the process. That wasn’t the case here. Some can be overly salty, or overly peppery, but these were seasoned in a way that allowed the red pepper jam to do its thing. The tomato itself was thick, ripe, and juicy. Call it Shawn Michaels because it was the show-stealer. The portions were gargantuan compared to other restaurants in town of the same ilk.
Booze: 7.5/10 – Y’all know my rule…Bearded Iris Homestyle on tap alone is worth five points. Lockeland Table has a solid wine list and some creative cocktails to go with it. We arrived for Community Hour, during which Lockeland Table donates part of the proceeds to Lockeland Design Center PTO. I had the muddled Old Fashioned that was among the best I’ve had in the city. Dare I say it was actually refreshing, the perfect companion to a meal of this magnitude.
Value: 9.13/10 – To get this type of meal in this environment with the quality of service that we received, it was uncanny. Tip included, I spent $160. That makes Lockeland Table one of the best bangs for your buck in this entire city.
Atmosphere: 8.5/10 – To have such an outstanding reputation in the Nashville food scene, I was expecting a larger restaurant. But, it was cozy, and it was decorated nicely as I mentioned before. In addition to that, our service was impeccable. Our cups never ran dry, and we were never left too long without a check-up. I simply cannot describe it any better than by saying *ahem* the vibes are on point (remember, I am cool, fellow kids).
Overall: 8.31/10 – Lockeland Table presents one of the better total dining experiences in Nashville. From the location, the pride they have in the restaurant, a menu that allows the ingredients to do the talking, and a cocktail that ties it all together, it’s a tranquil symphony of style and substance that left me feeling satisfied.
CURRENT NASHVILLE RESTAURANT RANKINGS
- Audrey (8.82/10)
- Hathorne (8.62/10)
- Butcher & Bee (8.5/10)
- Nectar: Urban Cantina (8.44/10)
- Lockeland Table (8.31/10)
You can check out our full Nashville restaurant rankings here. I’m always looking for new spots to try – don’t be afraid to hit the comments with suggestions!
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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