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As Nashville's stature as a culinary hot spot continues to grow, chefs from across the country are flocking to town to open restaurants and take advantage of the national buzz. In many cases, these outposts are simply additions to a chain, with the name-brand chefs behind the projects making occasional appearances in the kitchen while running their empires from other cities. But Sinema, the new showcase restaurant of Top Chef season-three alum Dale Levitski, is not that sort of venture.
What to Order:
Bread N Butter, $10; The Pig and the Peach, $14; Double-Cut Pork Chop, $32; Prime Rib Eye with French Onion Frites, $44
Together with a talented ownership team of Colin and Brenda Reed, brothers Ed and Sam Reed, Austin Ray, and Q-Juan Taylor, Levitski has opened a dramatic eatery in a city where he intends to lay down roots and immerse himself in the community. While many diners might best recognize him from his stint on what he calls 'the world's greatest game show,” Levitski has a long pedigree of successful restaurant openings, including three different spots that earned 'best new restaurant” accolades in Chicago.
After growing up in the Windy City and working there for more than a decade, Levitski decided it was time to make a change. A summer working at a resort in Montana gave him plenty of room and fresh air to breathe. Levitski took five months off from the kitchen to get serious about his relocation decision. 'I knew I wanted partners, because I'm a chef, not an accountant,” he says. 'When I first met with Austin, Sam, Ed, and Q-Juan, we immediately felt a palpable energy and knew we shared a common point of view and mission.”
Also in Nashville's favor was the fact that the ownership group already had a tremendous venue for a restaurant under construction. Sinema is located in the old Melrose Theatre, a grand cinema constructed in 1942. Reimagined and restored by Anderson Design, the renovated space exudes a luxurious Old Hollywood ambiance. The restaurant's 8,000 square feet can seat 120 diners downstairs, with an entertaining view of the staff working in the open kitchen. An additional 20-person private dining space is available upstairs adjacent to the sexy bar and lounge area, where the décor leans more toward music icons than the Hollywood stars of yesteryear that adorn the walls of the main dining room.
The menu is based around a supper-club feel with modern touches and is a logical extension of the dining room environment. Levitski explains, 'The menu has to have continuity with the space. We like to cook classic comfort food dishes but add some flair without being obnoxious about it. Our duck fat–poached rack of lamb is a classic steakhouse dish, but we add Lucknow spiced lamb sausage, pearled barley risotto, and anchovy sauce vert to update it to modern times.”
In addition to the steaks and the lamb dish, popular entrees include a double-cut pork chop topped with a root beer demi glace served with cauliflower puree, roasted apples, and rainbow chard and a delicious fish dish made with barramundi fingerling kale leek sauté, artichoke hummus, and lemon caper brown butter. A whimsical list of desserts designed by Levitski provides something for chocolate lovers as well as more adventurous diners, who can enjoy a novel version of caramel corn in the form of popcorn crème profiteroles, caramel anglaise, corn four ways, and peanuts.
A stylish spot to enjoy a classic cocktail or a full-on steakhouse dining experience, Sinema is an excellent new cosmopolitan venue that should only serve to reinforce Nashville's acclaim as an exciting culinary community. Levitski is happy to be along for the ride. 'I've reached the point where I want to be comfortable in both my life and my career,” he says. 'I really see an excellent opportunity in Nashville to do both.”
2600 Franklin Pk., Suite 102; 615-942-7746; sinemanashville.com