Emily Dorio
Choy, a new Chinese-American restaurant, is set to open in The Gulch on July 30.
The latest project from owners Moni Advani and Nishaan Chavda, Choy will feature a menu created by consulting chef and James Beard Award winner Brandon Jew and chef Brian Griffith. Aiming to bring a new Chinese-American offering to the city, Choy will offer a seasonal menu that will be centered around their signature Peking-style roast duck.
FOOD
The menu starts with appetizers such as Pressed Pig Ear Terrine with Lanzhou chili, soy sauce, black vinegar, cilantro, and pepper puree, Dutch Crunch BBQ Pork Buns in a beet BBQ sauce, and Pan Fried Turnip Cakes with Teochew. Rice, noodle, and dumpling dishes, plus mains including Chicken Fried Steak with Mapo Tofu, Peking Roast Duck (which is sourced from Jurgielewicz Birds in Philadelphia), and more will be on the menu, too. Desserts like Dark Chocolate Jian Dui, Chrysanthemum Ice Milk, and Sorghum Ma Lai Go, a traditional Chinese, brown sugar and vanilla steam cake with locally-grown sorghum, round out the menu.
BEVERAGES
The cocktail menu, developed by consulting bar director Abe Vucekovich (previously of James Beard award winning bar, The Violet Hour) features a program utilizing a variety of spirits and fresh ingredients while blending both traditional and new bartending techniques. Choy’s signature cocktails will be inspired by early twentieth century hotel bars from around the world and their influential drinks but with a modern twist. The wine program, designed by advanced sommelier, Justin Mueller (previously of Michelin starred restaurant Beckon in Denver), showcases an international list focused on old world selections.
DESIGN
The 120-seat art deco-inspired space, designed by local Nashville design firm Carlton Edwards, evokes mid-twentieth century Shanghai. The two-story space is anchored by a thirty-foot-wide red and black marble bar and an expansive glass-enclosed wine cellar showcasing more than 1,000 bottles. The dining room features emerald booth seating and black glass tables, with walls that are covered in plaster and vintage-inspired wall coverings, accented by a variety of traditional Chinese oil paintings and a large mural. Additionally, a fifty-seat private dining room is located off the mezzanine and is complete with detailed red bamboo and crane wallpaper, plus black wooden chairs and tables.