Nothing But The Best

Sinatra Bar & Lounge

We had nothing but the best at Sinatra Bar & Lounge recently, when we enjoyed our Pours & Palates tasting experience with them. Opening its doors this past spring and a part of Icon Entertainment & Hospitality, this fine dining restaurant is in the Southern Turf building in downtown Nashville and gives a nod to “Ol’ Blue Eyes” himself. Showcasing a 1950s atmosphere, with moody lighting, swanky décor, photographs and artwork tributes to Sinatra throughout the establishment, as well as live music featuring the best of Frank Sinatra and the Rat Pack… Sinatra Bar & Lounge takes you back in time from the moment you step in the door.

We were welcomed for our tasting and found ourselves immersed in a beautifully curated menu, with favorites from Executive Chef, Lorenzo Reyes, and Corporate Executive Chef of Icon Entertainment & Hospitality,

Bryan Lareau. Along with the tasting, I also had the opportunity to learn more about Bryan and his journey in the culinary world.

Bryan has worked in many different types of food service, from fine dining steakhouses, resorts and hotels, sports and entertainment venues, country clubs and has even owned his own catering business. “I love the classic French technique... Marco Pierre White, Anthony Bourdain, Gordon Ramsay, Charlie Trotter and nouveau chefs like Grant Achatz and Ryder Zetts,” Bryan says. His approach to creating new dishes is ongoing and he says it’s an art. “We are always learning and challenging ourselves,” he explains. “Constantly trying and tasting everything with an open mind...seeing where the flavors take us!”

Bryan became involved with Sinatra Bar & Lounge in January of 2023, when he began working for Icon Entertainment & Hospitality. “Lorenzo Reyes (Executive Chef) and I worked on plating together, but all the offerings are of his design,” says Bryan.

“I think they’re all fantastic but, of course, I’m a bit biased. I would have to say the braised short rib with pappardelle pasta is my favorite. That smooth whipped creamy ricotta, the wide pasta and shredded braised beef in a rich braising liquid reduction... I am salivating just thinking about it.”

The diverse menu features some of Sinatra’s favorite Italian recipes. Treated to so many swoon-worthy dishes, it was hard to pick my own favorite, but I will give you some of the highlights from the experience, starting with the cocktails. The Come Fly With Me is crafted with Lunazul Blanco Tequila, Torres Magdala Orange, Lavender Syrup, Bitter Truth Creme de Violette and lime, and had a uniquely floral and fruit-essence flavor while also showing off its light jade color. The Sultan of Swoon with Grey Goose Le Citron, Grand Marnier, lime and Fee Brothers Cranberry Bitters was an invigorating and refreshing drink, with a sweet citrus flavor.

With the appetizers, my highlights were the Calamari, Meatballs and Caprese Salad. The Calamari fritti was served with spicy aioli and was the perfect crispness with spice and texture. The Meatballs are served with marinara sauce, salsa verde and shaved piave. The marinara was a smooth, yet rich flavor, as if it had been simmering on the stove all day. The Caprese Salad was served as a tomato tartare with burrata, heirloom cherry tomatoes, mozzarella and green herb oil. It was a taste of Italy with the appetizer dishes alone!

Turning to entrées, I will start with the one I am still craving: The Ragu Pappardelle, served with braised short rib, whipped ricotta, Grana Padano and basil. Chef's kiss! It was a dish of rich flavors and hit all the high notes if one is craving pasta and flavorful meat. Another entrée we tried was the Iberico Secreto, which is a serving of Iberian pork, salsa verde, arugula and Meyer lemon. If one wants to veer away from the classic steak but still wants red meat, this is your dish. The Walnut Crusted Halibut with Marsala sauce, seasonal vegetables and green emulsion was another that made the top of my tingling-tastebuds list. Presented as nothing short of a work of art, the flavors were equally as masterful.

One of the many sides we enjoyed was the Roasted Gourmet Mushrooms with parsley butter, Grana Padano and breadcrumbs. These are a beautiful compliment to any of the entrées. Another we dove into was the Zucchini Fries with cornmeal, fines herbs, Aleppo pepper and zucchini aioli. This is a meal on its own! I loved the flavor kick it had from the pepper.

We finished off our evening with the Tiramisu, served with a coffee macaron, fresh raspberry, cocoa powder and micro mint. It was marvelous and brought the classy to a classic. One could compliment this dessert with an espresso and be ready to dance the night away to the tunes of Frank Sinatra.

If nothing but the best is good enough for you, then you must make your reservation at Sinatra Bar & Lounge and prepare for a unique experience. Learn more at sinatranashville.com and, as Chef Bryan says in Sinatra style, “Come fly with us; come fly, come fly away!”

Four generations of owner - growers have brought a beautifully blended collection of champagnes to life. André Tixier, began the art with the grapes he grew on his own property. He then passed on his knowledge to his son, Robert, who passed it down to his son, Patrice, who then passed it down to his son, Julien. Today, Julien Tixier crafts a magical wonder at his precious jewel of a micro-house in the Montagne de Reims.

Produced with environmentally sustainable farming, climate stewardship and protective of the environment, they use zero man-made, chemical herbicides or insecticides, and vineyard treatments include only natural insect repellents, such as garlic oil. Sustainable Viticulture Certification of Champagne is an official recognition of Champagne winemakers’ environmental performance, which Avid Vines has and Andre Tixier & Fils is among the fifteen percent of the Champagne AOC that has Sustainable Viticulture in Champagne certification. They use three varieties of grapes in the composition of their champagne: Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay.

David Aferiat is Founder and CEO of Avid Vines, a luxury wine importer based in Atlanta, and he founded it after a family visit to the Champagne region of France. He always had a dream to be an importer in his retirement and the plan was accelerated when he met Julien Tixier. Julien is the fourth generation, Owner-Grower of a certified sustainable, organic, Premier Cru Brut Champagne house called: Andre Tixier & Fils. In our interview with David, we learned more about the Premier Cru organic Champagnes offered through Avid Vines. You can shop their bottles and learn more at avidvines.com.

ARH: What makes your champagne stand out from others in the region, in terms of flavor and character?

DA: The region of Champagne is called the Montagne de Reims, known for its chalky soil which provides excellent drainage and a bountiful source of nutrients for the vines.

The tiny hamlet where the vineyards are located is called Chigny les Roses which is in a Premier Cru designated area. Paces away from Andre Tixier is the Domaine of Champagne Cattier. You might recognize the mark as the Ace of Spades which is the champagne Jay-Z is associated with here in the US. What matters most, however, is not the impression on others when buying a bottle at an outrageous price, but rather the coherence and harmony that exists between the winemaker and Mother Nature to produce Champagne unique to where it is grown and made.

ARH: How do you decide on the blend of grape varietals for your Champagnes, and how does each varietal contribute to the final product?

DA: Every Champagne winemaker competes in standard categories to be taken seriously or understand where their results rank when compared: Their Brut Rose, their Pinot Meunier led offering, their vintages and perhaps most importantly, their Blanc de Blanc. When making a blended varietal Champagne, winemakers look to Pinot Meunier for its berry flavors, Pinot

Noir for its body-mouth-feel and structure, and finally Chardonnay for its brightness and acidity.

ARH: What challenges do you face in maintaining consistency and quality across different vintages of your champagne?

DA: Maintaining consistency is a desirable outcome given how many curve balls Mother Nature can throw. Andre Tixier & Fils leverage a quantity of aged reserves from previous harvests that act to reduce the annual volatility. Some of the current production feature reserves that go back as far as 2016 and represent almost fifty percent of each bottle. A challenging situation occurred in 2021 for the Champagne region where the harvest was declared unusable. In other words, no Champagne is permitted to be made. This puts a strain on the previous harvest in 2020 - a stellar harvest that instead of being solely dedicated to a vintage year, must now be stretched to act as a reserve bridge over the missing year.

ARH: Can you talk about any sustainability practices you implement in your vineyard or production process?

DA: Andre Tixier & Fils gives more than lip service to what is an increasing trend toward sustainable farming. Many winemakers in the region choose not to pay for implementing the additional wine making protocols and the necessary audits to obtain agency certifications to add to their labels. Andre Tixier & Fils, however, anchors its brand on these certifications and invests in a ninety-point audit covering air, land and water.

ARH: Where is your Champagne currently available and where can we expect it to be available in the future?

DA: The wines of Andre Tixier & Fils are allocated due to their small production. Avid Vines brings over specific quantities you can find on avidvines.com. Here you can choose to purchase the bottle(s) one time or join the Avid Vines Wine Club. You’ll get six bottles per quarter and be guaranteed an allocation. You’ll also reliably support one farmer, one family who will welcome you on your next visit to Champagne!