Fancypants in East Nashville lives up to its name, equal parts elegant and playful, flirtatiously self-aware and unself-conscious. When co-owner and restaurateur Michael Shemtov was brainstorming names for the concept, his wife, Melody Shemtov, wasn’t impressed with the options. They were too long or pretentious for his “fancypants” restaurant, she said—and the decision was made.
You’ll walk into a low-lit dramatic dining and bar area where the predominant color is Chinese red, from the valance hanging over the bar to the painted ductwork and walls to the garlands draped across the ceiling. You’ll start with a welcome cocktail—perhaps the Bloomers, rosé-and-rum-based with umeboshi, lychee, and lemon. A concise by-the-glass wine menu offers four styles with unique West Coast options, plus cocktails and bourbon flights. Then it’s time for some real decision making.
From executive chef Bryan Lee Weaver’s core prix fixe menu, choose any three options for $75, or upgrade with the steak dinner for $125. You can range all over the restaurant’s “Asian Italian fine dining steakhouse” vibe with dishes like fermented tea leaf caesar salad, Buddha’s Hand vodka shells, and olive-oil poached Alaskan halibut with natsturtium green curry. A bonus menu offers a la carte options from sour cream and onion caviar dip to steak tartare.
This is a restaurant that takes its vegetables as seriously as its expertly prepared proteins—for instance, the bok choy that accompanies the steak is worth the upgrade in and of itself, seasoned and cooked so that it cuts and eats like a piece of red meat, textured and meaty. A variety of mushrooms, asparagus, sweet potato, and beet are all recent or current features on the menu, with hearty and flavorful but deceptively simple preparations.
And with such a vegetable-forward meal, you’re all but obligated to get dessert: Funfetti birthday cheesecake is a menu staple and always a great choice.
