DANIEL BROWN
Advanced sommelier Alex Burch always said it was a bad idea to open a wine bar in Nashville.
Restrictive state liquor laws and taxes impede both the creation of a program with depth and legally procuring bottles of age. Plus, it requires a climate-controlled room onsite to properly store the collection. To keep prices down for your guests, you’ll need to offer substantial and complementary food. All told, the investment is huge. It’s a daunting prospect.
And yet, he took the leap. Bad Idea, which Burch opened in the former sanctuary of an East Nashville church, is a glorious confluence of food and wine, art and aesthetics, hospitality and community: the culmination of many good ideas. It starts with the expansive space itself: the lofty ceiling height, the grand arched windows bringing in all the light and movement of the surrounding neighborhood, the bustling yet comfortable central horseshoe-shaped bar, and the intimate seating arrangements throughout. This includes a lounge area, a mezzanine (once a choir loft), and clergy offices transformed into private dining rooms. Nashville-based studio, Design Object, brought the space to new life, and New Hat created stunning surface installations. Bad Idea is like no other place in the city.
“Originally, the concept was 40 seats, good wine, good food,” says Burch. “A place that you felt comfortable dragging a chair around late at night, meeting up with friends. When Jackson Zeitlin showed me the space, it expanded the concept more than changed it. The key elements were still there.”
Passionate about wine and wine education, Burch honed his skills working in fine restaurants around town. For five years he served as wine director for Bastion before embarking on this endeavor. His rotating wine list underscores as many as 16 by the glass and over 100 bottles— identifying each by grape variety, producer, appellation, vineyard, location, and vintage. Pricing includes Tennessee alcohol taxes. Begin with bubbles. Burch recommends Bisson Vino Frizzante, a crisp, semi-sparkling Italian wine made with Glera, the grape behind Prosecco. “This is not one to use in a mimosa,” he says with a laugh. There is also a lovely Crémant de Loire Chenin Blanc in a rich golden hue, a superb alternative to more expensive champagnes. Either makes a fine accompaniment to shellfish.
Executive Chef Colby Rasavong teamed up with Burch and designed a concise, compelling menu to mesh with the wine program. Rasavong has worked in or led the esteemed kitchens of Husk, Tailor, and Audrey, but at Bad Idea he truly has come into his own. A first-generation Laotian-American, he drew inspiration from his heritage.
“Deciding on what cuisine to focus on, I felt it was only right to look at my own history and cravings rather than trying to cook someone else’s food,” he says. “But I knew it wouldn’t be traditional Lao food. Growing up, I was exposed to many ingredients, flavors, and techniques that my family never heard of. And I would never disrespect the many great Lao chefs doing that work in this country.”
Digging into his past, he uncovered the deep influences of the French, through their colonization of Southeast Asia (Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, collectively known as Indochina). With all of these aspects now aligned, Rasavong had his direction. Not what you would expect at a wine bar, his menu is singular, personal, and oh-so-delicious, especially with the wines. He considers it the most rewarding work he’s done so far. “I am truly excited to add to the conversation of first-generation cooking.”
Here are some highlights, ranging from small bites to shareable plates:
- Pain Perdu—a custardy French toast square, piped with kaya (coconut) jam on one side and spread with caviar on the other.
- Nam Khao croquettes—spheres of crispy spicy fried rice, coated in the thinnest drizzle of Jeow Mak Len, a Lao tomato sauce.
- Scallop-stuffed Crepe—an exquisite meld of Lao tastes and French technique, where a mousseline of scallops stuffed into a rice flour pancake is bathed in a coconut milk beurre blanc.
- Ora King Salmon—the butter-tender filet sits in a pool of date-infused broth, dotted with dill oil. Over its surface are bits of toasted puffed rice providing a crunchy contrast.
- Soy Caramel-braised Chicken—the most tender, succulent, and flavorful chicken breast you’ll ever eat. And what presentation! It arrives in a lidded ceramic bowl, sliced, garnished with cilantro and fresh flowers, and arranged over Japan’s premium Koshihikari rice. Ours came with two sauces on the side: a tangy scallion and house chili crisp.
- Bear Creek Pork Belly for Two—a stunning platter of sliced roast pork belly served with an array of delectable accouterments: butter lettuce and green cabbage wraps, turmeric and lovage crepes, soured cabbage, fresh herbs, and two sauces. In our case, it was sweet-tart lingonberry and Jeow Nam Prik Pao, a fiery Thai chili jam. It’s delicious DIY fun.
DANIEL BROWN
The staff is well-versed in the food, wines, and potential pairings, and are happy to help you explore. Curious about Rieslings? There are a number available. Or perhaps you’d like to indulge in a Chablis from Burgundy, or a Piedmontese Gavi, or the citrus minerality of a Sancerre. We discovered a Mencia, a Spanish red, that was luscious with the pork belly dish.
Burch says, “The other reason for the name (Bad Idea) is it creates a sense of risk. I think people are overly concerned with picking the wrong items at restaurants, while actually the risk is so low if you’re willing to communicate with your server.”
As the wine bar and restaurant gets into its rhythm, he plans to start integrating wine education. It’s another component of fostering community, a driving force for both Burch and Rasavong in creating Bad Idea. It’s worth noting: the former church building also held a YMCA community space before the March 2020 tornado destroyed it. The word “community,” Rasavong points out, is still displayed outside for all to see. In a new way, Bad Idea is continuing the core value of what has preceded it. (1021 Russell St.; badideanashville.com)