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Danielle Atkins
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Andrea Cothern
Flour, eggs, salt.
It’s magical how these three basic ingredients can transform into the most luscious and comforting of foods: Pasta. Versatile too! Whether it’s spaghetti tossed in olive oil, garlic, and grated pecorino; rigatoni blanketed in a complex Bolognese; or pumpkin-filled tortellini napped in decadent sage butter sauce, pasta reigns supreme.
But, as Chef Ryan Poli notes, “It’s the simplest things that are the hardest to execute. There’s nowhere to hide!” A master of the craft, Poli is making a soulful array of fresh pasta dishes at Iggy’s, which he recently launched with his brother Matthew in the Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood.
The chef first came into the Nashville culinary limelight during his tenure at The Catbird Seat. His and Matthew’s first venture on their own, Iggy’s is a concept highlighting housemade pastas and accompaniments in classic and seasonally driven combinations, paired with a stellar wine and cocktail program. Nothing fussy. Iggy’s is not meant to be a high-end dining establishment, rather it’s the perfect place to stop in anytime for a drink, a nosh, a plate of noodle comfort.
“In Chicago in the late ’90s there was a bar and lounge named Iggy’s that was right around the corner from a restaurant where I worked,” Poli says. “It had fantastic pastas and steaks and a great vibe. It was a neighborhood hang that became a late-night spot for industry folk. I loved that place, and took that name to honor them and their work. They had the kind of hospitality Matt and I aspire to have at our place.”
Iggy’s is a modern restaurant in an industrial space. Walk along the lower front of the building to the stairs leading to the entrance and you’ll see graffiti artist Erni Vale’s mural of hand- cranked pasta machines, commissioned by the brothers. Step inside, where you’ll be greeted at the reception and the soon-to-come marketplace selling pastas and sauces. The floor plan of the restaurant offers various seating options at cafe tables and banquettes, the central bar, or the chef ’s counter, which affords a front row view of the open kitchen in action. There’s also a glassed- in pasta-making room with mixer, sheeter, and extruder—the muscle behind the magic.
The menu is concise—anywhere from 13 to 15 dishes—and changes daily, reflecting the bounty of the moment. Poli is grateful for all of the farmers and producers he’s gotten to know in the middle Tennessee area, and wants to use as much “Nashville stuff ” as possible. Scan the menu and you’ll see the evidence. There’s a salad using fresh-as-it-gets leafy greens from Greener Roots. Poli folds the gem lettuces with shaved green apple, toasted almonds, bits of Manchego cheese, and his Chardonnay vinaigrette. It is a well-balanced preparation that enhances the flavors of the greens.
Tomatoes from Bloomsbury Farm appear in a few dishes: Poli’s Pomodoro Linguine, which he calls “Nashville summer on a plate,” stars the farm’s acid-sweet Lemon Boys, slow-simmered with garlic and onions. He also layers Bloomsbury’s colorful assortment of cherry tomatoes on toast with onion jam and creamy burrata.
“I get sourdough from my neighbors at Dozen Bakery, which I use for my Burrata toast,” says Poli. “I get St.Vito’s focaccia from Michael [Hanna] because it’s the best damn tasting focaccia I’ve ever had.”
But the signature Iggy’s garlic bread is Poli’s own creation: gorgeous rounds of brioche filled with whipped cream cheese, drenched in garlicky parsley butter, and a scatter of chippy salt, served hot out of the oven.
Danielle Atkins
The lineup of pastas is so compelling, you’ll be hard-pressed to choose. Go ahead, order two. Poli likes to offer some that are familiar, and others that are more adventurous. You’ll be content with a bowl of the Roman classic Cacio e Pepe, or the Neapolitan Aglio e Olio. Poli uses both ground beef and pork from Bear Creek Farm in his sumptuous Bolognese, spooned over ribbons of reginette, topped with herb- toasted breadcrumbs. It has just the right spicy kick of heat. His Folded Corn Ravioli, though, demonstrates both his deft hand and creativity: the corn purée stuffed pastas arrive cloaked in a brown butter sauce of sweet kernels, shallots, hen-of-the-woods mushrooms, and thyme. Each bite is intense, umami-laden pleasure.
A few words about Matt’s beverages: Let him guide you. For starters, his Rosas Are Red Spritz which combines Cocchi Rosa aperitif, lemon, and sparkling Cava, is crisp, dry and refreshing—less sweet than the popular Aperol spritz (also on the menu). His suggestion of a Sicilian red, Tascante Nerello Mascalese, which combines earthy, fruit-forward flavors with the smooth finish of a Pinot Noir, pairs well with an array of dishes. And don’t pass up Alcyone Tannat, an obscure yet remarkable Uruguayan dessert wine. This deep ruby-colored sip is sweet but not cloying, imparting notes of spiced cherries and plums. It is wickedly delicious with anything chocolate.
Speaking of chocolate, what’s for dessert?
“Just some soft serve,” replies the chef, with a shrug.
Oh, really, just? Then you dip your spoon into a cup of creamy dark chocolate swirled with miso caramel, sprinkled with little crunchy chocolate beads, and you realize that Poli is a master of understatement too. (609 Merritt Ave., 615-645- 9949; iggysnashville.com)