Danielle Atkins
When news broke that E3 Chophouse would open in Music City, it was all about the names behind it.
Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, and former Major League Baseball player Adam LaRoche were attached to the project. But while the news was splashy (two of those guys already have their names on bars/restaurants downtown), E3 claimed to be not so much about the names as it was about the beef. The stylish, modern steakhouse, which just happens to have some famous backers, started grilling up its signature, high-standard steaks in Hillsboro Village in November.
Those standards start at the source: the E3 Ranch in Fort Scott, Kansas. Founded by LaRoche, his brother Jeff, his wife Jennifer, and rancher Jake Gross, the ranch serves multiple purposes, including raising red and black angus cattle without added growth hormones or antibiotics. (There are several other small family farms that also raise E3 meat.) The ranch is also the home base for the E3 Foundation, which the LaRoche family founded as a way to support causes they felt close to: fighting human trafficking and supporting combat veterans. Ten percent of all sales from the steakhouses (there’s another location in Steamboat Springs, Colorado) and meat company go back to the foundation.
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It’s good to keep these facts in mind as you enter E3 since the steaks here steal the show. Laid out over three stories, with bars on the first and third floors and a dining room in the middle, E3 is a casual, rustic space with iron detailing, oversized Edison bulb lights, and plenty of stone, reclaimed wood, and leather. You’ll be comfortable dressing up or down here, in true Nashville form, though hats are discouraged. However you come, be prepared for a feast—one that might center around the meat but get upgraded with all kinds of high-end variations.
Danielle Atkins
Start with their creative approach to cocktails. They have a section of sous vide drinks, which are either fully or partly combined in a vacuum-sealed bag until ready to pour. Of these, the Rosemary Refresher (Grey Goose, grapefruit, rosemary) and Blind Faith (Old Forester 100, cherry heering, bitters, Cointreau, Benedictine) are both standouts. They also have a “smoking section,” which might include a drink like the Smoking Berry martini—it comes with a show, as an orb of gel is transformed into smoke in the glass. These are clever tricks, to be sure, but what you get in the glasses are balanced, thoughtful sippers.
What to Order
Charred Caesar, $13
Scallops, $21
E3 Beef Carpaccio, $18
16 oz E3 Ribeye, $53
Pimento Mac and Cheese, $14
Now it’s on to the meal, and if you’re doing it right, you’ll want to course it out—and pace yourself. Yes, there should be steak. But there’s plenty to get excited about from the starter sections, too. Under hors d’oeuvres, the scallops are decorated with lobster meat and sit over a bed of creamy risotto while the Maine lobster bisque is a cream-laden broth ladled over a heft serving of lobster meat (order it tableside for an upcharge and some flair). From the raw and chilled section, the beef carpaccio stands out with its paper-thin slivers of E3 beef topped with dressed arugula, Parmesan, and crunchy fried capers. Another tableside option from the Tennessee greens section is the charred Caesar, made with just-singed hearts of romaine and topped with a fried anchovy.
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Hitting all the steakhouse favorites, E3 offers its beef in a range of cuts and styles. Our choice is the 16-ounce ribeye, but you can also go big with a Cowboy Cut or Kansas City strip. You can also crowd the plate with Alaskan King crab or thick-cut bacon, or add sauces, like the signature steakhouse, or foie gras butter, to go alongside the meat. But, frankly, the smoky, simply grilled steak shines on its own. And, if beef is not your protein of choice, there’s lamb, roasted chicken, and a roast duck pappardelle, too.
Alongside the mains, you’ve got a broad selection of sides, from pimento mac and cheese and truffle fries to blistered cauliflower and shishito peppers doused in brown butter to creamed spinach laced with nutmeg. Be warned: Unless you’re going big, one or two is plenty—these are seriously hearty portions.
Danielle Atkins
On the other hand, you could save yourself for the bananas foster crème brulee—the bananas get torched tableside resulting in a crackling sugar crust. A caramel bread pudding might do the trick, too, with its bites of caramel popcorn adding a sweet, salty crunch.
Whichever way you choose to dine here, big or small, there’s comfort in knowing that you’re getting a quality piece of meat—and giving to a greater cause in the process.
E3 Chophouse, 1628 21st Avenue South, 615-301-1818; e3ranch.com