Jen McDonald
When Inglewood’s Fort Louise closed its doors in January of this year, the owners left behind a converted 1930s-era Craftsman home—a perfect shell for another restaurant to fill. Enter Lou. Inspired by an imaginary muse, she might be the coolest, chicest, funniest of your friends, one who flirts wildly—and gets away with all of it.
Lou comes from the creative soul of chef Mailea Weger. A self-described California girl, Weger (who definitely has a bit of Lou inside her), started with a career in fashion before turning to food during a short stint plating charcuterie in Paris. Back in the States, she got a culinary degree, externed at Herbsaint in New Orleans, and then landed in L.A. at two restaurants with cult-like followings: Gjusta and Gjelina. She later made her way back to Paris where, for the past two years, she consulted on a restaurant and lived with her husband. With an itch to open her own space, Weger decided to come to Nashville—her parents live in Franklin, plus she saw what she calls “a dining-curious” community, one that would be open to an idea like hers.
Jen McDonald
That the Fort Louise space was available and perfectly suited to the idea sealed the deal. Lou, an all-day brunch spot and wine bar, slid right into the old home like a glove. Weger gave it a paint job, and warmed up the room by buffing and treating the floors, and building a small bar in one corner. She added a statement splash: sultry, dark floral wallpaper that papers the back wall and hallway—it was inspired by a place she once stayed in New York, which she says was “like you got the keys to your grandma’s pied-à-terre.”
What to Order
Street Corn, $10
Crispy Rice, $10
Royal Red Shrimp, $16
Baked Egg Cazuela, $12 (brunch)
Breakfast wine & cake, $15 (brunch)
The menu at Lou feels like California by way of Paris.
“I’m a California chef so [that] usually means health focused, and botanical and herb- and veg-forward, very bright, tons of acid. And there’s pickling, fermenting” she says.
Jen McDonald
There’s also a thread of French culture in the intimate dining room with its all day café-style menu, and wine bar-like small plates. In Paris, she says, locals sit at the table for hours, communing, talking, drinking, and eating slowly. Here, we can imagine doing the same.
The dinner menu includes charcuterie and cheese, market vegetables, dishes “pour la table,” plus more from sea and land. At brunch, there are sandwiches and a strong selection of egg dishes.
Whatever time of day you visit, start with a drink. The list is thoughtful—there are 15 natural, low-intervention wines by the glass, plus a few low-alcohol spritzes, apertifs, and beers. Then, go for a plate of charcuterie—it changes daily but might be hot capicola or a selection of items from local outfit Prime South Meats, plus a few cheeses from Bonnie Blue Farms. You can add assorted pickles or a black sesame-miso butter. All of it comes with slices of earthy, luscious sourdough, sourced from FOLK baker Michael Matson.
Jen McDonald
Move into market veg next—there are a few salads and shareable items, like the sesame Caesar with herbed greens and the earthy haunt of botarga, or burnt kabocha squash, which is thinly sliced and served cold with traces of curry, vinegar, pickled cherries, and pistachios for crunch. The street corn is a hit: It’s served in segments, so you eat them like ribs, each piece getting a douse of seaweed aioli, togarashi, and a house-fermented hot sauce.
For something heartier look under “pour la table” for dishes like a cake of crispy rice that’s studded with brandy-soaked raisins and walnuts (add the chorizo). The sea selection includes royal red shrimp, an addictively interactive dish where you pull head-on shrimp through a pool of cumin butter and a fermented chile yogurt and then suck on the heads for a taste of the Spanish sea. The lamb ribs are equally fun, and get a good crunch from candied pistachios.
Brunch goes from 11 am to 3 pm Tuesday through Sunday and offers the kind of sweet-savory balance that marks a good brunch menu. Beverages shine here, especially the lavender honey cold brew and sumac and rose petal lemonade. To eat, the fried eggs and mustard flowers offers a lighter option, but there’s also a chorizo, potato, and egg sandwich for something more filling.
Throughout the meal, the baked goods beckon. Chef Sasha Piligian, most recently of Sqirl in Los Angeles, is here consulting for a while, and works magic in items like breakfast cake, which is a soft and light hazelnut cake dotted with cocoa nibs and topped with a tart compote. Add a glass of breakfast wine—the discounted glasses are left over from bottles opened the night before. We can’t think of a better way to emulate a Parisian life in East Nashville than cake and wine for breakfast. If you’re smart, you’ll find a way to wile away the rest of the day here, too.
Lou Nashville,1304 McGavock Pk., 615-499-4495; Lounashville.com