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Aba, the Mediterranean-style restaurant from Chicago hospitality group Lettuce Entertain You, makes a splashy entry into the Wedgewood Houston neighborhood. Artfully bringing together food, drink, service, and vibes, it rates as one of the most exciting openings in Nashville this year.
The transformation from industrial warehouse to chic dining destination is astonishing: The two-story, 12,000-square-foot structure melds contemporary and coastal desert, replete with lush greenery soaring ceiling to skylight, constellations of lanterns and chandeliers, fine mosaic tile work, warm leather, and woods. Find your spot at the bar, in the lounge, a banquette or table seating beneath the skylight or inside the private dining room, or along the sprawling al fresco terrace. Each possesses its own kind of comfort and beauty.
Jeff Marini
What truly brings Aba to life is the fare, as designed by executive chef and partner (and Top Chef alum) CJ Jacobson. Drawing on his Southern California roots — focusing on a region’s produce and seasonality — he’s infused the cuisines of the Mediterranean Rim with his creative vision.
He has divided his menu under the headings of Hummus, Spreads, Cold and Hot Mezze, Raw, Mediterranean Butcher, Seafood, Kebabs, and Desserts. The best way to enjoy them is through sharing. It’s suggested that each guest choose two to three plates and relish the feast. While there are many similarities between this Aba and sister restaurants in Chicago and Austin, the chef has created several dishes unique to the Nashville market.
Start with Hummus, each a silken variation on the theme, served with fresh-baked pita sparked with za’atar salt. Jacobson knew he wanted to use sweet potatoes in a new way for Nashville and thus his sweet potato hummus, dusted with toasted pecans and dukkha, was born.
Moving into fall, I added a brown butter tahini to it, for a cozier vibe and richness,” Jacobson says. His Smoked Chicken Ragu, laced with dried apricots, pine nuts, and sorghum molasses spooned over the hummus, follows similar Southern inspiration.
“In researching other cities, local dairy is always considered,” the chef notes. When he sampled the hickory-smoked cheddar from Sweetwater Valley Farm (Philadelphia, TN) it propelled him to use it in a labneh preparation. He says, “It’s now one of my favorites.”
In another nod to the South, Jacobson added pork to his lineup of kebabs. It features luscious, assertively spiced chunks of the tenderloin skewered with pineapple, red onion, and Napa cabbage. Grilled to succulence, the kebab is plated in a pool of pineapple amba (traditionally made with green mangoes, but delicious in this format) and a side of rice.
Finally, he created a special vegetarian entree for Nashville that is not to be missed: Grilled Beet Steak. Thick cuts of ruby and golden beet are seasoned with black garlic and rosemary salt, and char-grilled. The result? The slices emerge meaty, sweet, yet savory, with a touch of smoke. Accompanied by charred young leeks, they are served over avocado crema. Delete that crema, and it becomes well-suited for vegan diners.
Aside from the dishes created for Nashville, you’ll find Aba favorites: Whipped Feta, Grilled Branzino over hatch chili reduction and blistered tomatoes, and Lamb chops with pistachio and mint gremolata. Roasted Brussels sprouts spiced with almond-cashew dukkha and harissa honey. When ordering, include the Melon Granita. It’s a semi-frozen salad of sorts, where bites of cantaloupe, honeydew, cucumber, and jalapeño are folded in fine ice crystals with lemon, Thai basil, and salt. It makes a refreshing palate cleanser between different tastings.
Overall, what impresses is not only the vibrant array of offerings but also the distinct flavor profile that each puts forth — beckoning many returns.
Don’t pass up dessert. Order the Banana Pudding Cake and prepare to be wowed. What arrives is a confection that might remind you of Andy Warhol’s banana. Formed into the fruit’s shape, the vanilla wafer-cake and banana custard is encased in a dark chocolate shell, painted in edible yellow dye. It is super fun and delicious. Even tastier, and in elegant presentation, is the Lemon Meringue Bar. Like an icebox lemon pie, but in long, thin bar shape, this layered dessert starts with graham crust at the base, uber-tangy lemon custard, finished with smooth meringue lightly torched and salted across the top.
A few words about the beverage program: You’ll find a concise roster of high-end libations under Reserve Cocktails (we recommend the Barrel Select Old Fashioned, Koval rye, Angostura bitters, and local Perfectly Cordial’s mission fig), House Signatures (superb Passionfruit Gin and Tonic), and stylish, flavorful Zero-Proofs, such as the fruit-forward yet deliciously bitter Mockingbird. Wines have been assembled from the Mediterranean region: Greece, Lebanon, southern France, and Spain. Our server suggested Santorini Assyrtiko, a Greek white. Comparable to a Chablis, it imparts citrus notes and a honeyed minerality that pairs well with much of the fare.
Jacobson and team have been gratified by Music City’s hospitable spirit. “We were attracted to Nashville and Wedgewood Houston in particular because we found it similar to how the neighborhoods were when we opened our Chicago and Austin locations,” Jacobson says. “It is new, developing, and exciting, and that’s where we want to be! I feel really welcome, and I’m stoked to be cooking here.”