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Since opening on Lower Broadway this summer, Acme has unveiled new aspects of its facility one floor at a time. With so many spaces and uses, the multilevel honky-tonk and restaurant can be a bit of a maze for the uninitiatedso let's take a little tour.
What to Eat: What to Eat:
The Hatchery, $9Griot with Ti Malice and Pikliz, $10Sam's Nigiri and Specialty Rolls, prices vary
First Floor
The first floor is virtually unchanged from its prior incarnation as a feed store. The ancient hardwood floor remains, and columns divide the large area into discrete sections. There's live music all day; Acme welcomes Americana bands, national touring acts like Steve Wariner and co-owner Alan Jackson, and even a popular midweek 'Funky Tonk” night.
To eat, executive chef Matt Farley, who also runs the kitchen at The Southern Steak & Oyster, has created a clever menu of portable multi-ethnic dishes that are satisfying and inventive. That convenience is important because Acme isn't the sort of place where patrons stay in the same spot for very long. Order at the first-floor counter and take your number to one of the tables or a stool along the bar, which boasts dozens of local craft beers and a selection of spirits and cocktails. Soon, a food runner will find you, and you're free to settle anywhere you want.
The menu features a variety of bold flavors. Vegetarians and carnivores alike gush over The Hatchery, a plate of curried chickpeas, coconut rice, cashews, cilantro, and a fried egg served with fry bread. Heartier is the Griot, a Haitian dish made with seasoned fried pork, black beans, plantains, and sweet habanero slaw. More familiar but still exotic are the Beer Belly Tacos made from pulled pork, pickled daikon, carrot, sweet chili, and cilantro. On weekends, Acme serves a brunch with eggs added to several of the core dishes plus a few unique offerings, like banana pancakes.
second Floor
Up on the second floor there's a completely different vibeit's decorated with mismatched furniture and accent pieces, some of which were salvaged by Mike Wolfe of television's American Pickers. Sidle up to the 16-seat sushi bar and watch sushi chef Sam Katakura and staff create artful rolls at a beautiful marble countertop. It's a far cry from Katakura's former home at the entrance of Printers Alley, where he was known for his playfully surly attitude toward customers. When he lost the lease at the small eatery, he closed up shop and applied for a line cook job at Acmebut co-owner Tom Morales and chef Farley knew they had to find a better way to utilize his talents. Katakura now leads a talented team that presents a creative and affordable selection of nigiri and rolls, which can be ordered at any of the bars on the second floor as well as from the cocktail servers milling about.
third Floor
The third floor, called The Hatchery, is a music venue that often hosts private parties and events.
fourth Floor
And when the weather warms back up, you'll want to head even higher: The rooftop offers sweeping views of the Cumberland River and, yep, another bar.
101 Broadway, 615-915-0888; theacmenashville.com