Husk

Reviews 3

PE

Peter Melluse

Husk was the single biggest disappointment during our visit to Nashville. Im sorry to have to say this, but it is true. I know this place and chef Sean Brock have its fans, and any poor review will be dismissed by those die-hards, but this was our experience. Im not even sure where to begin... It was a Wednesday evening, and we were seated immediately at our reservation time. It was downhill from there. As the sun set through the windows, the blinding light was a distraction from the start. Doesn’t a ‘fine’ restaurant such as Husk realize that their patrons comfort could have easily been remedied by a light-diffusing curtain or shade? OK, this was not a big deal, but details matter when you’re going to a fine dining restaurant. The service was… serviceable. Very good, to be sure. Our wine was brought out and served properly, our waters constantly refilled, and the pacing was good. But it all seemed like an act and not genuine. Fake smiles and chuckles… Very deliberate and obvious attempts at banter and personality. I felt like the whole time our waitress was practicing for an acting or improv class. Barf. By the way, can someone do something about all the flies in the dining room? The food was below expectations to say the least. Where was the creativity? The variety? The flavor? The first courses were good, but not great. ‘Ember Grilled’ chicken wings were tasty, but dry. The beef tartare lacked depth and richness that the dish needs to succeed. The shrimp and grits were good, but I’ve had much better at local cafes. The shaved ‘Dakota Farms’ ham was the best dish, but was essentially paper-thin sliced prosciutto spread over a platter, amounting to less than an ounce of actual food. Hey, I get it… Sometimes it’s about presentation and quality over quantity, but I guess that’s why they pad this $19 appetizer with cheddar biscuits and pickles. And no one has done anything about all the flies yet... The supper courses are where Husk truly disappointed. Many were not even cooked properly. The $36 beef, ordered medium-rare, was nearly raw, and practically inedible. Trust me, I know the difference between medium-rare, rare, and raw. It was seared, but raw. I was actually thankful the portion was so small at about 4 ounces. The $32 chicken breast was overdone and dry, masked with a light sauce to cover it’s flaws. What is this, airline food? I talked my wife into the much-hyped $25 ‘Plate of Southern Vegetables’, and, while quite good, I felt like it still needed something to pull it all together. Maybe some fancy crackers or biscuits or cornbreads would have done the trick. Finally, the $34 pork duo was easily the tastiest and best cooked dish, but maybe that was just in comparison to everything else… At least it looks like someone finally did something about those pesky flies, though... As we approached the end of our meal, much was left on our plates in disappointment. The children were asking to go somewhere else to dine after we leave. Feeling slightly like we were swindled, we asked for the nearly $300 check, paid, and left a generous tip. As I took the last sip of wine from my glass, I felt something solid fall on my tongue; probably a piece of cork? Nope… A fly. Ugh.

KA

Katherine Butler

Before I give my full review, I want to make it clear that I respect the work that any Chef does to create a unique menu that is both contemporary and innovative. Some of the things Ive tried at Husk have been perfectly acceptable, but most I could have made at home for half the cost. That being said, heres why I cant give Husk anything higher than 1 Star. Ive given this restaurant two tries and each visit has been worse than the last. For a Chef whos been nominated for a James Beard Award, this place leaves SO much to be desired. There is so much pretentiousness here that anyone who doesnt drive a Tesla is sure to feel alienated at some point during their meal. On my first visit I had the Eggs Benedict. It would have been awesome in every way, if it werent for the sous vide eggs which replaced the traditional poached ones. Do you know what the texture of a sous vide egg is like? Its like eating an raw, goopy, uncooked egg. Its not like a sous vide steak- its inedible. To add insult to injury, the Chef refused to replace the sous vide egg with a poached or fried one for me or the Pregnant woman sitting at the table next to us. While I realize that its his kitchen and thereby his prerogative, its kind of a jerk move to do that to a paying customer. On my second visit, we started out with the donuts, which we had on our first visit. (They were piping hot and AMAZING the first time.) They arrived to our table stone cold and hard. When I spoke with the waiter, he seemed deeply offended that I wanted warm/hot donuts. Eventually, a fresh plate did arrive, but they were served with a snide remark: "Our donuts are always served at room temp, so next time youll need to let us know that you want them fresh." 1. They were not room temperature, they were cold and dead. 2. Ive had kinder service at a Waffle House at 3am. 3. Im about to pay well over $100 for a Sunday Brunch and you cant be bothered to treat me with any ounce of respect? The meal just got worse from there. My country fried steak was overcooked into oblivious (The Chef could have just spit in my food if I pissed him off so much over donuts. At least I could have cut around the spittle.) and my cocktail was like drinking straight Elderflower flavored rubbing alcohol. If youre under the age of 30 and dont walk in with a Coach purse and a thick cloud of Chanel #5 perfume wafting around you, dont expect to be treated well by staff. If you want to eat elevated Southern cuisine- go anywhere else. Needless to say, I will never step foot here again.

ST

Steve Koehler

My son came home to visit and wanted to taste some of Nashvilles cuisine. He is assistant Executive Chef at Mirage Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, and has worked for some of the best in the culinary world (Joel Robuchon, Alissandro Strata, etc.). Husk was a chosen destination, picked for reputation and review. There were six of us and we went incognito. We tasted the majority of the menu for Monday evening, and left feeling rewarded for our experience. Our reservations were for 5:30 and we were promptly seated. The wait staff was superb, friendly at all levels and knowledgeable about the menu, food preparation and libation. While there, part of Lady Antebellum showed up and were seated next to us. I wanted to see if the wait staffs attention shifted to leave us far behind. It did not happen. Everyone was treated with equal attention and that included being left alone at times to enjoy our food and personal communications. We were not rushed in enjoying our meal and always felt attended to without hovering. Well done! And yes, we left our celebrities to enjoy their evening without hounding for autographs and annoying chatter. I chose the grilled catfish and bean/rice combination. I regret I did not pay much attention to the particulars while ordering because I was prepared to be unimpressed. I rarely select fresh water fish because most of the time it is overdone, lacks character, and can be found being overwhelmed by the side dishes. This was a test dish for me. From the first bite, the fish was prepared just about as close to perfect as can be found! Slightly crisp on the topside, the inner fish was flavor filled and was matched well with the sides. There was a focus in the flavor that was simple and uncomplicated, but fit the character of the food. The beans and rice played a slightly second fiddle to the catfish, but were voiced to match the music played by the dish. Outside of the shrimp and grits, which seemed OK but perhaps lacking a bit of the character of the rest of the food, the rest of the menu we experienced was first class all the way. While picking can always be done with any meal (eating, after all, is dependent upon individual tastes), Husk got positive reviews from our table of six. Lovely atmosphere, great food, professional wait staff. Go visit!