When Terry Raley was looking to expand on his Butchertown Hall concept, his wildly successful homage to the foods of Texas Hill Country where he grew up, he had never been to the Baja peninsula of Mexico.
After a journey there, traveling and eating along the Pacific coast and Sea of Cortez, he caught a new vision. Bowled over by the abundance of fresh seafood available in small beach towns and fishing communities and their pure, assertively spiced preparations of that seafood, he decided to bring those flavors and coastal magic back to Nashville.
“We know Tex-Mex; the meats and vegetables, the flavors,” Raley says. But what if we took the concept further south and focused on the cuisine of the Baja—fish and seafood forward—with all the citrus and chiles? We would keep several of the Butchertown’s hits to make those diners happy. But this direction really spoke to me.”
Named Mercado by Butchertown, the restaurant takes up residence in the Queen Wedgewood-Houston complex on Hamilton Avenue. Mercado means “market” in Spanish. Raley chose the name to underscore the community spirit of a marketplace where people gather. Like his other projects (i.e. Liberty Common) the interior is a stunner. In sleek modern fashion, he’s captured a laid-back Baja coast vibe: Walls are white-washed plaster, accented by shades of terra cotta and orange in striped awnings and patterned cushions. Alex Monteverde curated the details: a collection of found objects and curios that give Mercado a retro, homey feel. Tropical plants of size, along with cacti and succulents procured from Monteverde’s grandmother’s garden in Los Angeles, bring nature in complementary greens into the place.
There are two bars to sidle up to. El Bar serves margaritas in many versions: house, top-shelf, mezcal-based, frozen, and other fruit bases, as well as house cocktails, beers, and wine. The raw bar has all manner of oysters, aguachiles, and ceviche. Aside from booths and banquettes in the dining areas, the walled-off patio offers a pleasant warm weather respite at tables under market umbrellas. On the fourth floor is Ramone’s Oyster Bar and Citrus Club, an adjunct to Mercado with a jaw-dropping view. From this rooftop perch, the luminous downtown skyline spreads out far and wide before you.
To please Butchertown Hall aficionados and be consistent with the brand, several of the Germantown restaurant’s biggest hits are part of the Mercado menu: salsas, guacamole, queso fundido, their famous smoked brisket and double-smash burger. But it’s the pescados y mariscos—fish and shellfish—that Raley is most excited about serving. He worked closely with Executive Chef David Harris to recreate the tastes he loved in Baja.
Start with a cocktail. You can’t go wrong with any quaff from the margarita program, finely tuned and long enjoyed at Butchertown Hall. Paul Black, director of operations, recommends Fuego y Azufre (Fire and Brimstone): mezcal with fresh-pressed lemon and orange bitters, its heat kicked up with Tres Amigo bitters—the tincture made with habanero, Thai chili and puya peppers. Pungent and citrusy, with a nice fiery undercurrent. “It really goes with everything on the menu,” Black says. And he’s right.
From the raw bar, order the Grouper Aguachile to share. Aguachile, which translates to chile water, is akin to ceviche, but spicier. Chef Harris finely chops the fish, onions, radishes, Serranos, and avocado for a fast, intense cure in the lime-enhanced chile water. It results in a mixture that is bright and refreshing when spooned onto a tostada.
Without question, a squeeze of lemon or a splash of mignonette onto fresh shucked oysters is simple and satisfying. But don’t bypass the bivalves chargrilled in barbecue butter— absolutely sumptuous. For an upcharge, ask for chorizo crumbles to be added to the butter sauce; this brings another savory-spiced note to the dish. Speaking of chorizo, we also recommend the Mussels Playitas, steamed in a rich chorizo- based broth. Mussels adapt well to any number of cooking mediums (white wine/garlic, tomato/red curry) and this take is no exception. Our one regret was that we did not have any bread to sop up the juices.
There’s a selection of creative, delicious tostadas on the menu: seared scallops; pork belly burnt ends and refried beans, corn, and cotija. We especially liked the Blistered Shrimp with feta and basil in sun-dried tomato remoulade mounded on a crispy tortilla. If you order only one thing, let it be the Baja fish tacos “crunch” style. A centerpiece of Baja cuisine, this is a highlight of Mercado’s menu. Consider: tender, flaky filet of haddock battered and fried to a golden crackle, dressed in chili slaw and pico de gallo, striped in cilantro crema and chipotle aioli. The combination of textures, temperatures, acids, and spice makes this taco pure pleasure to eat.
Sides of note include Borracho Beans, pintos simmered to firm yet creamy tenderness in lager, and Blackened Cauliflower, rubbed in the house chili crisp, distinctive for its subtle taste of anise. Aspects of Mercado, such as patio dining, will be best enjoyed on summery days. But the essence of Baja Mexico, its beachy vibes, its vibrant food and drink, are welcome any time, perhaps even more so in the heart of winter. Raley’s research, which tracked from the peninsula tip of Cabo San Lucas north to Ensenada made its way to Los Angeles. There, too, he found a confluence of art and conviviality and a knowledge of geography and food that resonated.
“I like the spirit of lightheartedness in serious food,” Raley says. “Mercado doesn’t fit into a casual or a fine dining model. I think I will always be reaching for something different, collaborative, something that has an element of fun. I want to capture that magic.”
(625 Hamilton Ave., 615-378-3598; mercadobtown.com)