In November of last year, SoBro welcomed a stunning modern Japanese restaurant right across from Ascend Amphitheater. The Green Pheasant is the latest project of partners Patrick Burke, Jess Benefield and Trey Burnette of Seed Hospitality Group, with their beloved Two Ten Jack in both East Nashville and in Chattanooga.
The Green Pheasant happens to be one of my favorite places to eat in town (their Ikinari Steak with corn, onions and miso brown butter being my go-to cheat meal out of anywhere in Nashville), so I was pretty excited when I found out The Edit team was heading there for our next Field Trip. Since I’ve usually only gone in the evenings, it was truly a whole different experience when we walked into The Green Pheasant at 2:00 p.m. for a late lunch. While I do love the restaurant’s dimly-lit ambiance for the dinner menu, the natural light in this stunning space made it feel like I was in a similar—but different—restaurant than the one I had frequented for dinners out with my friends.
The interior design is understated and unique, with elements that nod to Japanese culture. Possibly the most intriguing part of the décor are the handmade origami carousels hanging above the bar. Even the bookshelves are lined with authentic Japanese figurines and books, all brought back from Japan by the owners themselves. While the interior definitely lends to wanting to sit and stay awhile, it’s the food that’ll have you wanting to try multiple dishes from the menu.
Between the six of us, we each loved every single dish that was placed on the table. Lacey and Lauren were especially fond of the Spicy Crab Noodles, and Alaina really enjoyed the Tuna Tartare. Both are delicious, but I highly recommend the Wedge, Cauliflower and Yaki Gyoza (pheasant dumplings). Patrick explained to us that many of the chefs in town rave about the Tebasaki Gyoza (chicken wings, shrimp, croissant and sweet chile), and we certainly understand why — it’s almost like a Southern twist on classic Japanese fare.
And, naturally, I couldn’t forget to mention the drinks.
The Green Pheasant happens to have one of the only sake sommeliers in the city, Kynsey Hunter. They offer an extensive sake collection, with 45-50 different kinds at any one time. We sipped from their Endless Summer Tokubetsu Honjozo sake (of which I highly recommend), along with their refreshing Passion Fruit Chu-Chi (the pretty yellow cocktail) and their Ni-San, a whiskey and coconut water concoction!
So whether you go for a date night or simply galavant there with your coworkers for lunch one day like we did, The Green Pheasant surely will not disappoint!
